Editing of N-Glycans for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients

Abstract

Analogues of nucleosides are highly significant in the realm of small molecule pharmaceuticals, serving as essential constituents in biological systems and playing a crucial role in treating cancer and viral infections as effective therapeutic agents. Synthesis of nucleosides in a cost-effective way from readily accessible starting material is still a formidable challenge, despite their widespread presence in DNA or RNA. Herein, we report the synthesis of purine and pyrimidine nucleosides using commercially available purine nucleosides through a one-step chemical transglycosylation approach. The method demonstrates effectiveness, selectivity, and wide applicability, facilitating easy synthesis of various complex O- S-, and N-glycosides in a streamlined fashion. Significantly, this editing strategy was further demonstrated by the syntheses of nucleoside antibiotics Ribavirin, 5-azacytidine, and Tubercidin.