S-ribosylhomocysteine analogues with the carbon-5 and sulfur atoms replaced by a vinyl or (fluoro)vinyl unit

Treatment of the protected ribose or xylose 5-aldehyde with sulfonyl-stabilized fluorophosphonate gave (fluoro)vinyl sulfones. Stannyldesulfonylation followed by iododestannylation afforded 5,6-dideoxy-6-fluoro-6-iodo-D-ribo or xylo-hex-5-enofuranoses. Coupling of the hexenofuranoses with alkylzinc bromides gave 10-carbon ribosyl- and xylosylhomocysteine analogues incorporating a fluoroalkene. The fluoroalkenyl and alkenyl analogues were evaluated for inhibition of Bacillus subtilis S-ribosyl-homocysteinase (LuxS). One of the compounds, 3,5,6-trideoxy-6-fluoro-D-erythro-hex-5-enofuranose, acted as a competitive inhibitor of moderate potency (K(I) = 96 mu M). (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.