Carbocyclodipeptides as modified nucleosides: synthesis and anti-HIV activities

A new class of nucleoside analogues were synthesized using cyclic dipeptides and modified 2'-deoxyfuranoribose sugars to introduce flexibility by peptides in place of common nucleoside bases and to determine their biological properties. The synthesis was carried out by coupling of a protected ribose sugar with synthesized dipeptides in the presence of hexamethyldisilazane and trimethylsilyltriflate. The final products were characterized by NMR and high-resolution MS-TOF spectroscopy. The compounds were evaluated for anti-HIV activities. 1-(4-Azido-5-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydrofuran-2-yl)-3,6-diisopropylpiperazine2,5-dione (compound 14) containing 3- and 6-isopropyl groups in the base and 3'-azide (EC50 = 1.96 mu mol/L) was the most potent compound among all of the synthesized analogs.