One step synthesis of imidazole and benzimidazole acycloaromatic nucleoside analogs

A facile and rapid method for the synthesis of novel imidazole and benzimidazole aromatic acyclic nucleosides is described. Synchronous N-alkylation of imidazole or benzimidazole and potassium aryloxide with methylene iodide in the presence of triethylamine and a catalytic amount of tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) in dry acetonitrile or acetone gave moderate yields of the acycloaromatic nucleoside analogs.