Highly Diastereoselective Aldol Synthesis from (alpha)-Iodo Ketones in Aqueous Media

Enantioselective synthesis of a novel kind of optically active nucleoside analogues from natural malic acid is described. In the given nucleoside analogues the tetrahydrofuran ring is replaced by a pyrrolidinonyl ring bearing both a primary and a secondary hydroxy groups which could be useful for the preparation of novel oligonucleotides. Assay of the prepared nucleoside analogues showed non-activity against virus.