Reaction of (R)-1-O-p-toluenesulfonyl-1,2,3-propanetriol (IV) with N-trimethylacetylimidazole (II) afforded (R)-1-O-p-toluenesulfonyl-3-O-trimethyacetyl-1,2,3-propanetriol (V) which was reacted with dimethoxymethane in the presence of phosphorus pentoxide to give (R)-2-O-methoxymethyl-1-O-p-toluenesulfonyl-3-O-trimethyacetyl-1,2,3-propanetriol (VI). Compound VI was treated with acetic anhydride and boron trifluoride etherate and the obtained 2-acetoxy derivative VII reacted with bromotrimethylsilane to give the intermediary bromomethyl ether VIII. Compound VIII on reaction with tris(2-propyl) phosphite afforded (R)-2-O-bis(2-propyl)phosphonomethyl-1-O-p-toluenesulfonyl-3-O-trimethyacetyl-1,2,3-propanetriol (IX). Condensation of synthon IX with sodium salts of adenine, 2,6-diaminopurine, or with cytosine, 6-azacytosine or 2-chloroadenine in the presence of cesium carbonate, afforded fully protected diesters X and XIIIb which on methanolysis and reaction with bromotrimethylsilane gave N-[(S)-(3-hydroxy-2-phosphonomethoxypropyl)] derivatives of adenine (XIa), 2- chloroadenine (XIb), 2,6-diaminopurine (XIc), cytosine (XIVa) and 6-azacytosine (XIVb). In an analogous reaction, sodium salt of 4-methoxy-2-pyrimidone reacted with compound IX to give an intermediate XIIIa which on treatment with methanolic ammonia and subsequent deblocking under the same conditions also afforded the cytosine derivative XIVa. Sodium salt of 2-amino-6-chloropurine was in this way converted into the corresponding 2-aminopurine derivative XVIII. Deprotection of this compound gave 9-(S)-(3-hydroxy-2-phosphonomethoxypropyl)-2-aminopurine (XIX).
