One-pot synthesis of N-alkyl purine and pyrimidine derivatives from alcohols using TsIm: a rapid entry into carboacyclic nucleoside synthesis

A convenient and efficient one-pot N-alkylation of nucleobases from alcohols using N-(p-toluenesulfonyl)imidazole (TsIm) is described. In this method, treatment of alcohols with a mixture of purine or pyrimidine nucleobase, TsIm, K2CO3, and triethylamine in refluxing DMF regioselectively furnishes the corresponding N-alkyl nucleobases in good yields. This methodology is highly efficient for various structurally diverse primary alcohols.