The phosphorylation of imidazole by two activated phosphate diesters and a triester gives phosphorylimidazole derivatives that are stable enough in aqueous solution to be observed and identified by ESI-MS/MS and NMR Half-lives ranging from hours to days (in the case of the monoethyl ester) show that it is possible to design molecules with variable half-lives with potential to be used for biological intervention experiments as possible inhibitors of biosignaling processes or as haptens for the generation of antibodies.
Phosphoroazolides, including nucleoside derivatives, can be converted smoothly into the corresponding phosphorofluoridates by reaction with benzoyl flouride. From these compounds oligonucleotides containing → P-F instead of → P-OH can be prepared.