Inspection of Maruzen models and force-field calculations suggest that oligonucleotide analogues integrating backbone and bases (ONIBs) with an aminomethylene linker form similar cyclic duplexes as the analogous oxymethylene linked dinucleosides. The self-complementary adenosine-and uridinederived aminomethylene-linked A*[n]U dinucleosides 15 -17 were prepared by an aza-Wittig reaction of the aldehyde 10 with an iminophosphorane derived from azide 6. The sequence-isomeric U*[n]A dinucleosides 18 -20 were similarly prepared from aldehyde 3 and azide 12. The N-ethylamine 5, the acetamides 7 and 14, and the amine 13 were prepared as references for the conformational analysis of the dinucleosides. In contradistinction to the results of calculations, the N-ethylamine 5 exists as intramolecularly H-bonded hydroxyimino tautomer. The association in CDCl 3 of these dinucleosides was studied by 1 H-NMR and CD spectroscopy. The A*[n]U dinucleosides 16 and 17 associate more strongly than the sequence isomers 19 and 20; the cyclic duplexes of 16 form preferentially Watson -Crick-type base pairs, while 17, 19, and 20 show both Watson -Crick-and Hoogsteen-type base pairing. The cyclic duplexes of the aminomethylene-linked dinucleosides prefer a gg-orientation of the linker. No evidence was found for an intramolecular H-bond of the aminomethylene group. The CD spectra of 16 and 17 show a strong, those of 19 a weak, and those of 20 almost no temperature dependence.Helvetica Chimica Acta -Vol. 93 (2010) 668 2010 Verlag Helvetica Chimica Acta AG, Zürich 1 ) Conventions for abbreviated notation: The substitution at C(6) of pyrimidines and C(8) of purines is denoted by an asterisk (*); for example, A* and U* for thiomethylated adenosine and uridine derivatives, respectively. The moiety x linking C(6)ÀCH 2 or C(8)ÀCH 2 of unit II and C(5') of unit I is indicated in square brackets, i.e., [c] for a C-, [o] for a O-, [n] for a N-, and [s] for a S-atom.