July 20, 19.58
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SYNTHESIS OF NUCLEOSIDE 5’ PYROPHOSPHATES
[CONTRIBUTION FROM
THE
CHEMISTRY DIVISIONOF THE BRITISHCOLUMBIA RESEARCHCOUNCILAND THE DEPARTMENT OF BIOCHEMISTRY, NEW YORK UXIVERSITY COLLEGE O F hfEDICINE]
Nucleoside Polyphosphates. VI1.I The Use of Phosphoramidic Acids in the Synthesis of Nucleoside-5’ Pyrophosphates B Y ROBERT WARNER CHAMBERS~ AND H. G. K H O R A N A 3 RECEIVED JANUARY 27, 1958 The use of phosphoramidic acids in the chemical synthesis of pyrophosphate bonds has been investigated. The reaction of adenosine-5’ phosphate with an excess of phosphoramidic acid gave a mixture of adenosine-5’ di-, tri- and higher phosphates. I n experiments directed toward the specific synthesis of nucleoside-5’ diphosphates and nucleotide coenzymes, adenosine5’ phosphoramidate was synthesized by the phosphorylation of 2’,3’-di-O-acetyladenosine with monophenyl phosphorodichloridate followed by treatment of the resulting nucleoside-5’ monophenylphosphorochloridate with an excess of ammonia and subsequent alkaline removal of the acetyl and phenyl groups. A satisfactory synthesis of adenosine-5’ diphosphate by the reaction of adenosine-5’ phosphoramidate with an excess of phosphoric acid is described.
Of the methods developed for the synthesis of nucleoside pyrophosphates4-6 and related compounds, that involving the use of carbodiimides6 has proved to be the most generally useful. In this method, no protecting groups are required and the desired products (general formula 111) may be obtained directly after a one-step condensation reaction (eq. 1). However, the lack of specificity in effecting condensation between two dissimilar components is a serious drawback in the method and often leads to complex mixtures of desired and side products. The formation of the desired products (111) can in many cases be pro0
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