Prolinol-based nucleoside phosphonic acids: new isosteric conformationally flexible nucleotide analogues

trans-4-Hydroxy-l-proline has been used as a starting material for the synthesis of prolinol-based nucleotide analogues with an N-phosphonomethyl moiety attached to the prolinol ring nitrogen atom. The synthetic methodology based on the inversion of configuration at both 1- and 4-position led to all diastereoisomeric O-protected 4-mesyloxyprolinol-N-phosphonates. Alkylation of nucleobases using the synthons in the l-series afforded the nucleotide analogues corresponding to α-l- and β-l-nucleotide. The NMR-based conformational study of these compounds in aqueous solution performed at two different pH values, showing either N-fully protonated or deprotonated forms, revealed the occurrence of the same mostly populated conformer in both cases. All final l-prolinol-based nucleoside phosphonic acids were tested for cytotoxic and antiviral properties, but no significant activity was found.