Incorporation of amide linked thymidine dimers into oligodeoxynucleotides

The synthesis of thymidine dimers in which the phosphodiester linkage has been replaced by an amide linkage containing diamines (homopiperazine, 2,5-trans-dimethylpiperazine, N,N-dimethylethylenediamine and N,N-diethylethylenediamine) and their incorporation into oligodeoxynucleotides is described. The thermal and nucleolytic stability of the resulting oligodeoxynucleotide analogues are reported.