Investigations pertaining to the rhodium(I)-catalyzed addition of arylboronic acids to (arylsulfonyl)acetonitriles were undertaken. The resulting carbon-carbon bond forming reaction has led to the efficient synthesis of novel stereoselective (Z)-β-sulfonylvinylamines, which upon acidic hydrolysis, afford useful β-keto sulfones possessing a diverse range of aryl and sulfonyl substituents. The synthetic utility of these (Z)-β-sulfonylvinylamines was subsequently explored by generating the corresponding 1-aza-allyl anion equivalents under basic conditions. This interesting anionic intermediate was then introduced to various α,β-unsaturated systems to produce a diverse array of functionalized pyridine derivatives including unsymmetrical polysubstituted pyridines.

Investigations pertaining to the rhodium(I)-catalyzed addition of arylboronic acids to (arylsulfonyl)acetonitriles were undertaken. The resulting carbon-carbon bond forming reaction has led to the efficient synthesis of novel stereoselective (Z)-β-sulfonylvinylamines, which upon acidic hydrolysis, afford useful β-keto sulfones possessing a diverse range of aryl and sulfonyl substituents. The synthetic utility of these (Z)-β-sulfonylvinylamines was subsequently explored by generating the corresponding 1-aza-allyl anion equivalents under basic conditions. This interesting anionic intermediate was then introduced to various α,β-unsaturated systems to produce a diverse array of functionalized pyridine derivatives including unsymmetrical polysubstituted pyridines.

The C-5 modified pyrimidine analogues are well-known anticancer and antiviral drugs which underscore further development of novel probes to study their physical, chemical, and biological properties. In my dissertation the syntheses and properties of (β-halo)vinyl sulfone and/or (β-keto)sulfone analogues of C-5 modified pyrimidine have been discussed. In the first part of the dissertion, the synthesis of 5-(β-halo)vinyl sulfones either by transition metal-catalyzed or iodine-mediated halosulfonylation reaction of 5-acetylene pyrimidine nucleosides have been explored. The novel (β-chloro/bromo/iodo)vinyl sulfones efficiently undergo addition-elimination reaction with different nucleophiles such as thiols, amines, amino acid, peptides to provide (β-substituted)vinyl sulfone analogues. The rate of these substitution reactions depends on the nature of halogen atom presents at the β-position and increases with the order of I ≥ Br > Cl. (β-chloro/bromo/iodo)vinyl sulfones possess exclusively E stereochemistry while their β-substitued analogues possess either E (for β–thio analogues) or Z (for β–amino analogue) stereochemistry. It has been observed that the vinylic proton of (β-chloro) or (β-amino)sulfone analogue undergoes exchanges with deuterium in polar protic deutorated solvents. The antiproliferative activities of those analogues have been explored and was found that protected 5-(E)-(1-chloro-2-tosylvinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine inhibited the growth of L1210, CEM and HeLa cells in lower micromolar range. In the second part of the dissertation the syntheses and reactivities of 5-(β-keto) sulfone of pyrimidine nucleosides were investigated. Thus, 5-(β-halovinyl)sulfone of uracil and cytosine nucleosides have been efficiently converted into corresponding 5-(β-keto) sulfone analogues by displacement of halogen with ammonia followed by acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of the resulting (β-amino)sulfone analogues. A number of electrophiles were trapped at the acidic α-carbon of the 5-(β-keto)sulfones by treatment with electrophiles such as methyl, benzyl, or allyl halide in the presence of base. The 5-(α-iodo-β-keto)sulfone analogues of uracil nucleosides have been tested as an alternative substrates to probe the incorporation of nucleophiles at α-carbon. In the third part of the dissertation, the synthesis of 5'-phosphates of 5-(β-chloro) and 5-(β-keto) sulfones of 2'-deoxyuridine and their polymerase-catalyzed incorporation into DNA were evaluated. Thus, 5'-O-phosphorylated analogues have been efficiently incorporated into the DNA by human DNA repair polymerase (pol β) or bacterial polymerase (pol I).