Cyclization of appropriately designed enose−nitrones derived from d-glucose, having nitrone at
C-5 or C-1 and allylic/homoallylic functionalities at C-3 of the sugar backbone, afforded polyhydroxylated aminocarbocycles which were subsequently used as the precursors for carbocyclic
nucleoside analogues (11, 13, 16, 21, and 23). The enantiodirecting synthesis of both the
enantiomeric pairs of nucleoside analogues 11 and 13, 21a and 23a, and 21c and 23c, has also
been demonstrated by judiciously applying intramolecular nitrone cycloaddition (INC) reaction.
An interesting observation was that in the cyclization reaction of pyrimidine ring to purine ring in
DMF solvent, the substitution of C-6 chloro group with a dimethylamino functionality also occurred
spontaneously under mild condition, though similar reactions are reported to occur at higher
temperature. The hydrogen bonding between N-3 of the purine ring and an appropriate hydroxy
substituent in the carbocycle seems to play a crucial role in this reaction.