4-Heterosubstituted Cyclopentenone Antiviral Compounds: Synthesis, Mechanism, and Antiviral Evaluation

Racemic 4-oxocyclopent-2-en-1-yl acetate was used in a short synthesis of nucleoside analogues with pyrimidine and purine heterobases. The protocol is based on a typical nucleophilic substitution process. Uracil, thymine, 6-chloropurine, and some adenines gave the expected 4-heterosubstituted products along with the isomeric 2-heterosubstituted compounds as minor components. Samples of selected products were evaluated for their antiviral activity in a primary screening against a variety of viruses belonging to different classes. One of the compounds was found to be highly active against human papilloma virus (HPV).