The N-chloro-N-sodio salts of adenine derivatives are suitable nitroge
n sources for the osmium catalyzed aminohydroxylation of olefins, achi
eving suprafacial, vicinal addition of adenine and a hydroxyl group. T
he scope of this transformation was examined using adenine and adenosi
ne-derivatives in conjunction with three different olefins. (C) 1998 E
lsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.