Synthesis of nucleoside–amino acid conjugates containing boranephosphate, boranephosphorothioate and boranephosphoramidate linkages

Conjugates of 3′-azido-2′,3′-dideoxythymidine (AZT) and 2′,3′-didehydro-2′,3′-dideoxythymidine (D4T) with the hydroxyl group of tyrosine containing boranephosphate and boranephosphorothioate moieties were prepared via the oxathiaphospholane and dithiaphospholane methodology as a mixture of P-diastereomers. Their structures were confirmed by MS analysis and 1H, 31P NMR spectroscopy. It has been shown that the boranephosphorothioate linkage is unstable under acidic conditions. The first nucleoside–alanine conjugates connected through a boranephosphoramidate linkage were also obtained.