Palladium-catalyzed synthesis of carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon epoxide-nucleoside adducts: The first amination of a chloro nucleoside

Pd-catalyzed coupling of the axially constrained, less reactive benzo[a]pyrene bay-region amino benzoates, derived from the tetrahydro and diol epoxides, with C-6 and C-2 halopurine deoxynucleosides offers an efficient approach to the synthesis of the corresponding nucleoside-epoxide adducts. Also reported are the first examples involving the coupling of a 6-chloropurine deoxynucleoside with these amines, a reaction that is difficult by direct halide displacement. Certain mechanistic aspects of this metal-catalyzed C-N bond formation are also discussed.