BUILDING-BLOCKS FOR OLIGONUCLEOTIDE ANALOGS WITH DIMETHYLENE-SULFIDE, DIMETHYLENE-SULFOXIDE, AND DIMETHYLENE-SULFONE GROUPS REPLACING PHOSPHODIESTER LINKAGES

Routes are presented for the synthesis of 3',5'-bishomo-deoxyribonucleosides, building blocks needed to synthesize oligonucleotide analogs where the -O-PO2-O- groups are replaced by -CH2-SO2-CH2-,-CH2-S-CH2-, and -CH2-SO-CH2- units. As isosteric, diastereomerically pure (in the first two cases), non-ionic analogs of natural oligonucleotides, such molecules have potential application as "anti-sense" oligonucleotide analogs. © 1990.