The Synthesis and Biological Activity of 1-(2-Deoxy-4-Thio-α;-L-Threo-Pentofuranosyl)Thymine

Abstract
The procedure of Huang and Hui (Nucleosides & Nucleotide 1993, 12, 139-147) was found to give benzyl 3,5-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-1,4-dithio-α-L-threo-pentofuranoside (6) rather than the claimed D-erythro isomer. This sugar was converted to an anomeric mixture of the thymine nucleosides. The mixture was separated and the α-anomer (α-10) was found to be cytotoxic, whereas theβ-anomer (β-10) was inactive.