[(2-Deoxy-α- and β-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)thymin-1-YL] methane derivatives as potential conformational probes for altDNA oligonucleotides

The previously unknown deoxyribonucleoside analogues 2a,b have been efficiently synthesized from commercial 1-O-methyl-2-deoxy-3,5-di-O-p-toluoyl-D-erythro-pentofuranose. The conversion of these nucleosides to the phosphoramidite derivatives 13a,b and 14a,b for subsequent incorporation into oligodeoxyribonucleotide analogues is also described.