Synthesis and antiviral activity of some 7-[(2-hydroxyethoxy)methyl]pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine analogues of sangivamycin and toyocamycin

The sodium salt of 4-amino-3-cyanopyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine (1) was condensed with (2-acetoxyethoxy)methyl bromide (2) to provide the corresponding protected acyclic nucleoside, 4-amino-3-cyano-1-[(2-acetoxyethoxy)methyl]-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimid ine (3). Treatment of 3 with sodium methoxide in methanol provided a good yield of methyl 4-amino-1-[(2-hydroxyethoxy)methyl]pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-3- formimidate (4). Treatment of the imidate (4) with sodium hydrogen sulfide gave the thiocarboxamide derivative 5. Aqueous base transformed 4 into 4-amino-1-[(2-hydroxyethoxy)methyl]pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-3- carboxamide (6) in good yield. Treatment of 5 with mercuric chloride furnished the toyocamycin analogue 7. Evaluation of compounds 1, 3-7 revealed that only the heterocycle (1) and the thiocarboxamide acyclic nucleoside (5) were active. Compound 5 was the more potent with activity against human cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus type 1.