Synthesis of (−)-neplanocin A with the highest overall yield via an efficient Mitsunobu coupling

Neplanocin A was synthesized in very high isolated yield and purity, in 10 steps from d-ribose via an efficient Mitsunobu coupling using N6-bis-Boc-protected adenine. In fact, this synthesis is a short pathway to enantiopure neplanocin A giving the highest published overall yield.