The lack of antiviral activity of recently described (S)-3-(adenin-9-yl)-2-(phosphonomethoxy)propanoic acid, or (S)-CPMEA in brief, has been speculated to possibly be due to the increased hydrophilicity of the molecule and, thus, by its limited cellular permeability. Efficient syntheses of novel lipophilic prodrugs of (S)-CPMEA masking either the carboxylic group or preferably both the phosphonate
A convenient and efficient synthesis of a novel class of acyclicnucleosidephosphonates derived from 2-(phosphonomethoxy)propanoic acid has been developed. The key step of the synthesis is the optimized oxidation of the 3-hydroxy-2-(phosphonomethoxy)propyl (HPMP) analogues to the corresponding 2′-carboxy-PME (CPME) derivatives using the TEMPO/NaClO2/NaClO oxidizing system. Although (S)-3-(adenin-