Collect. Czech. Chem. Commun. 1979, 44, 1819-1827
https://doi.org/10.1135/cccc19791819

Acid-catalyzed migration of N4-acyl groups in cytosine derivatives

Antonín Holý

Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, 166 10 Prague 6

Abstract

Heating 1-(2,3-di-O-benzoyl-β-D-arabinofuranosyl)-N4-benzoylcytosine (I) in 80% acetic acid afforded 1-(2,3-di-O-benzoyl-β-D-arabinofuranosyl)-N3-benzoylcytosine (II). Benzoylation of 5'-O-tritylcytidine (V) led to the 2',3',N4-tribenzoyl derivative VI which was refluxed with 80% acetic acid to give 2',3',N3-tribenzoylcytidine (VII). Analogously, 2',3',5',N4-tetrabenzoylcytidine (IX), prepared by benzoylation of cytidine with benzoyl cyanide, gave on reflux with 80% acetic acid 2',3',5',N3-tetrabenzoylcytidine (X). Under identical conditions, 1-methyl-N4-benzoylcytosine (XI) afforded directly 1-methyluracil (XII) .This migration takes place also in acetyl derivatives of cytosine nucleosides: 2',3',5',N4-tetraacetylcytidine (XIII) was transformed to the N3-acetylcytosine derivative XIV. On the other hand, migration of acetyl or benzoyl group from the exo-amino group of adenine has not been observed under the mentioned conditions. The migration of the N4-acyl group of cytosine derivatives proceeds best in aqueous acetic acid, more slowly also in anhydrous acetic acid, but not by action of trifluoroacetic acid in 1,2-dichloroethane.