A series of chiral sulfahydantoins have been synthesized by alkaline c
yclization starting from N-sulfamylaminoacid methyl esters. Regioselec
tive glycosylation of these pseudopyrimidic heterocycles was carried o
ut with a benzyl protecting group on the N-sulfonylcarbamic position.
Best glycosylation results were obtained by preliminary silylation of
sulfahydantoins, and their condensation with a tetracylribofuranose wh
ich yielded the pseudonucleosides in a beta-anomeric configuration.