Convenient syntheses of
rac-g
lycida
ldehydefrom
rac-but-3-ene-1,2-dio
l and(
R)-g
lycida
ldehyde from
D-mannito
l are described.(
R)-G
lycida
ldehyde (
1) reacts with guanosinein water(pH 4-11, faster reaction at higher pH) to give initia
lly6(
S)-hydroxy-7(
S)-(hydroxymethy
l)-3-(
le">-
D-ribofuranosy
l)-5,6,7-trihydroimidazo[1,2-
a]purin-9(3
H)-one(
7a) and6(
S),7(
R)-dihydroxy-3-(
le">-
D-ribofuranosy
l)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropyrimido[1,2-
a]purin-10(3
H)-one(
8a). The former decomposes to7-(hydroxymethy
l)-5,9-dihydro-9-oxo-3-(
le">-
D-ribofuranosy
l)imidazo[1,2-
a]purine(
3a),5,9-dihydro-9-oxo-3-(
le">-
D-ribofuranosy
l)imidazo[1,2-
a]purine(
5a, 1,
N2-ethenoguanosine),andforma
ldehyde, whi
le the
latter adduct is re
lative
ly stab
le. Theposition of the hydroxymethy
lgroup on the imidazo ring of7-(hydroxymethy
l)-5,9-dihydro-9-oxo-3-(
le">-
D-ribofuranosy
l)imidazo[1,2-
a]purine was proved by
13C NMRana
lysis of adducts derived from [1-
15N]guanosineand[
amino-
15N]guanosine. At
longerreaction times, the adduct7,7'-methy
lenebis[5,9-dihydro-9-oxo-3-(
le">-
D-ribofuranosy
l)imidazo[1,2-
a]purine[(
4a) is formed from guanosine and g
lycida
ldehyde. The structure ana
lysis of this adduct was a
lso aided by
13C NMR ana
lysis of the
15N-
labe
led adduct derived from [1-
15N]guanosine.Ana
logous adducts were obtained from thereaction between g
lycida
ldehyde and deoxyguanosine. Mechanisms offormation of the adductsfrom g
lycida
ldehyde and guanosine/deoxyguanosine are proposed andsupported by mode
lstudies with simp
le amines. The forma
ldehyde produced in thereactions described reactswith guanosine to give the known adduct
N2-(hydroxymethy
l)guanosine(
9).