Nucleic acids and nucleosides containing carboranes

The bioorganic chemistry of carboranes is an important trend in the modern chemistry of boron. The use of carboranyl cluster as a modifying entity for nucleosides and oligonucleotides presents a new concept in the chemistry o f nucleic acids and nucleic acids' components, and facilitates studies on n ew DNA based, carborane-containing materials and pharmaceuticals. Several n ucleosides modified with a carboranyl group and a novel class of oligonucle otide analogues bearing a carboranyl cage within an internucleotide linkage (CBMP [(o-carboran-1-yl)methylphosphonate] oligonucleotides), or attached to a nucleic acid base {CDU[(5-(o-carboran-1-yl)-2'-deoxyuridine] oligonucl eotides} were developed. Synthesis, physicochemical and biological properti es of these new nucleosides and nucleic acids modifications are described. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.