An Improved Synthesis of Azidothymidine

Abstract
A convenient and high yielding procedure is described for a direct conversion of thymidine (1) into 2,3′-anhydrothymidine (2) using the Mitsunobu reaction. Isolation and characterization of two new compounds, 3 and 4, are discussed. AZT has been synthesized from 1 in two steps, in 62% overall yield, by heating 2 with NaN3 in DMF.

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