Purine DNA Constructs Designed to Expand the Genetic Code: Functionalization, Impact of Ionic Forms, and Molecular Recognition of 7-Deazaxanthine-7-Deazapurine-2,6-diamine Base Pairs and Their Purine Counterparts

Xanthine Nucleosides with Pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine Skeleton: Functionalization with Halogen Atoms, Clickable Side Chains, Pyrene, and iEDDA Cycloadducts, and Impact of Ionic Forms on Photophysical Properties

Xanthine nucleosides play a significant role in the expansion of the four-letter genetic code. Herein, 7-functionalized 8-aza-7-deazaxanthine ribo- and 2'-deoxyribonucleosides are described. 2-Amino-6-alkoxy nucleosides were converted to halogenated 8-aza-7-deazaxanthine nucleosides by deamination followed by hydroxy/alkoxy substitution. 8-Aza-7-deaza-7-iodo-2'-deoxyxanthosine served as an intermediate in Suzuki-Miyaura, Sonogashira, and Stille reactions. Alkynyl and vinyl side chains as well as fluorescent tags were introduced. Pyrene conjugates were derived by copper(I)-catalyzed cycloaddition. Inverse-electron-demand Diels-Alder reaction of 8-aza-7-deaza-7-vinyl-2'-deoxyxanthosine with 3,6-dipyridyl-tetrazine proceeded with a second-order rate constant of 0.042 L M-1 s-1. X-ray analysis of 8-aza-7-deaza-7-vinyl-2'-deoxyxanthosine displayed two conformers with a syn conformation. Crystal packing is stabilized by xanthine base pairs. UV spectroscopy confirmed the sensitivity of 7-functionalized 8-aza-7-deazaxanthine nucleosides to pH changes. Halogen and alkynyl substituents decrease pK values, and vinyl, pyrene, or benzofuran leads to an increase. Fluorescence measurements of 8-aza-7-deaza-7-benzofuran-2'-deoxyxanthosine disclosed solvatochromism and enhanced fluorescence when the pH or the viscosity of the solvent is increased. Nucleoside pyrene conjugates connected by a linear linker displayed monomer emission, and two pyrene residues connected by a dendritic linker exhibited excimer emission. According to their fluorescence properties and sensitivity to pH changes, the functionalized 8-aza-7-deazaxanthine nucleosides expand the class of nucleosides applicable to fluorescence detection for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

7-Deazapurine and Pyrimidine Nucleoside and Oligonucleotide Cycloadducts Formed by Inverse Diels-Alder Reactions with 3,6-Di(pyrid-2-yl)-1,2,4,5-tetrazine: Ethynylated and Vinylated Nucleobases for Functionalization and Impact of Pyridazine Adducts on DNA Base Pair Stability and Mismatch Discrimination

The manuscript reports on 7-deazapurine and pyrimidine nucleoside and oligonucleotide cycloadducts formed by the inverse electron demand Diels-Alder (iEDDA) reaction with 3,6-di(pyrid-2-yl)-1,2,4,5-tetrazine. Cycloadducts were constructed from ethynylated and vinylated nucleobases. Oligonucleotides were synthesized containing iEDDA modifications, and the impact on duplex stability was investigated. iEDDA reactions were performed on nucleoside triple bond side chains. Oxidation was not required in these cases as dihydropyridazine intermediates are not formed. In contrast, oxidation is necessary for reactions performed on alkenyl compounds. This was verified on 5-vinyl-2'-deoxyuridine. A diastereomeric mixture of 1,2-dihydropyridazine cycloadduct intermediates was isolated, characterized, and later oxidized. 12-mer oligonucleotides containing 1,2-pyridazine inverse Diels-Alder cycloadducts and their precursors were hybridized to short DNA duplexes. For that, a series of phosphoramidites was prepared. DNA duplexes with 7-functionalized 7-deazaadenines and 5-functionalized pyrimidines display high duplex stability when spacer units are present between nucleobases and pyridazine cycloadducts. A direct connectivity of the pyridazine moiety to nucleobases as reported for metabolic labeling of vinyl nucleosides reduced duplex stability strongly. Oligonucleotides bearing linkers with and without pyridazine cycloadducts attached to the 7-deazaadenine nucleobase significantly reduced mismatch formation with dC and dG.

Nucleobase-Functionalized 7-Deazaisoguanine and 7-Deazapurin-2,6-diamine Nucleosides: Halogenation, Cross-Coupling, and Cycloaddition

The functionalization in position-7 of 7-deazaisoguanine and 7-deazapurin-2,6-diamine ribo- and 2'-deoxyribonucleosides by halogen atoms (chloro, bromo, iodo), and clickable alkynyl and vinyl side chains for copper-catalyzed and copper-free cycloadditions is described. Problems arising during the synthesis of the 7-iodinated isoguanine ribo- and 2'-deoxyribonucleosides were solved by the action of acetone. The impact of side chains and halogen atoms on the pKa values and hydrophobicity of nucleosides was investigated. Halogenated substituents increase the lipophilic character of nucleosides in the order Cl < Br < I and decrease the pK values of protonation. Photophysical properties (fluorescence, solvatochromism, and quantum yields) of azide-alkyne click adducts bearing pyrene as sensor groups were determined. Pyrene fluorescence was solvent-dependent and changed according to the linker lengths. Excimer emission was observed in dioxane for the long linker adduct. Bioorthogonal inverse-electron-demanding Diels-Alder cycloadditions (iEDDA) were conducted on the electron-rich vinyl groups of 7-deazaisoguanine and 7-deazapurin-2,6-diamine nucleosides as dienophiles and 3,6-dipyridyl-1,2,4,5-tetrazine as diene. The initially formed complex reaction mixture of isomers could be easily oxidized with iodine in tetrahydrofuran (THF)/pyridine leading to single aromatic tetrazine adducts within a short time and in excellent yields.