NOVEL SULFUR TRANSFER REAGENTS FOR OLIGONUCLEOTIDE SYNTHESIS

Abstract: In our research, two commercially available compounds, 3-amino-1,2,4-dithiazole-5-thione (1) and xanthane hydride (2), and their derivatives 3-6 are found to be potential sulfur-transfer reagents. The efficiency and optimization of these new sulfur-transfer reagents were investigated by solid-phase synthesis of dinucleotide and oligonucleotide phosphorothioates. The results show that both compounds (1) and (2) are highly efficiency sulfurizing reagents, and better than 99 % sulfur transfer efficiency can be achieved at each step. In contrast to Beaucage reagent, these novel sulfur-transfer reagents are very stable in various solvents, and are available in bulk quantities at low cost. Due to these advantages, compounds (1) and (2) can be considered alternatives to Beaucage reagent, especially in large-scale preparation of oligonucleotide phosphorothioates. Furthermore, compounds (1) and (2) were modified to enhance their solubility in acetonitrile. Three types of structure, as described as Formulae (I), (II) and (III), are considered as potential efficient sulfur-transfer reagents based on our results.

Description: NOVEL SULFUR TRANSFER REAGENTS FOR OLIGONUCLEOTIDE SYNTHESIS Field of the Invention The invention relates to the chemical synthesis of oligonucleotides and to chemical entities useful in such synthesis. More particularly, the invention relates to sulfurization of the internucleoside linkages of oligonucleotides. Summary of the Related Art Oligonucleotides have become indispensable tools in modern molecular biology, being used in a wide variety of techniques, ranging from diagnostic probing methods to PCR to antisense inhibition of gene expression. Oligonucleotide phosphorothioates are of considerable interest in nucleic acid research and are among the analogues tested as oligonucleotide therapeutics. Oligonucleotides phosphorothioates contain internucleotide linkages in which one of the nonbridging oxygen atoms of the phosphate group is replaced by a sulfur atom. This widespread use of oligonucleotides has led to an increasing demand for rapid, inexpensive, and efficient methods for synthesizing oligonucleotides. The synthesis of oligonucleotides for antisense and diagnostic applications can now be routinely accomplished. See e.g., Methods in Molecular Biology, Vol 20: Protocols for Oligonucleotides and Analogs, pp. 165-189 (S. Agrawal, ed., Humana Press, 1993); Oligonucleotides and Analogues: A Practical Approach, pp. 87-108 (F. Eckstein, ed., 1991); and Uhlmann and Peyman, Chemical Reviews, 90: 543-584 (1990); Agrawal and Iyer, Curr. Op. in Biotech. 6: 12 (1995); and Antisense Research and Applications (Crooke and Lebleu, eds., CRC Press, Boca Raton, 1993). Early synthetic approaches included phosphodiester and phosphotriester chemistries. Khorana et al., /. Moke. Biol. 22: 209 (1972) discloses phosphodiester chemistry for oligonucleotide synthesis. Reese, Tetrahedron Lett. Mi 3143-3179 (1978), discloses phosphotriester chemistry for synthesis of oligonucleotides and polynucleotides. These early approaches have largely given way to the more efficient phosphoramidite and H-phosphonate approaches to automated synthesis. Beaucage and Carruthers, Tetrahedron Lett. 22: 1859-1862 (1981), discloses the use of deoxynudeoside phosphoramidites in polynucleotide synthesis. Agrawal and Zamecnik, U . Patent No. 5,149,798 (1992), discloses optimized synthesis of oligonucleotides by the H-phosphonate approach. These lattei. approaches have been used to synthesize oligonucleotides having a variety of modified internucleotide linkages. Agrawal and Goodchild, Tetrahedron Lett. 28: 3539-3542 (1987), teaches synthesis of oligonucleotide methylphosphonates using phosphoramidite chemistry. Connolly et al., Biochemistry 23: 3443 (1984), discloses synthesis of oligonucleotide phosphorothioates using phosphoramidite chemistry. Jager et al., Biochemistry 27: 7237 i988), discloses synthesis of oligonucleotide phosphoramidates using phosphoramidite chemistry. Agrawal et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA gf>: 7079-7083 (1988), discloses synthesis of oligonucleotide phosphoramidates and phosphorothioates using H-phosphonate chemistry. Solid phase synthesis of oligonucleotides by each of the foregoing processes involves the same generalized protocol. Briefly, this approach comprises anchoring the 3'-most nucleoside to a solid support functionalized with amino and /or hydroxyl moieties and subsequently adding the additional nucleosides in stepwise fashion. Internucleoside linkages are formed between the 3' functional group of the incoming nucleoside and the 5' hydroxyl group of the 5'-most nucleoside of the nascent, support-bound oligonucleotide. In the phosphoramidite approach, the internucleoside linkage is a phosphite linkage, whereas in the H-phosphonate approach, it is an H-phosphonate internucleoside linkage. To create the sulfur-containing phosphorothioate internucleoside linkage, the phosphite or H-phosphonate linkage must be oxidized by an appropriate sulfur transfer reagent. In the H-phosphonate approach, this sulfurization is carried out on all of the H-phosphonate linkages in a single step following the completion of oligonucleotide chain assembly, typically using elemental sulfur in a mixed solvent, such as CS 2 /pyridine. In contrast, the phosphoramidite approach allows stepwise sulfurization to take place after each coupling, thereby providing the capability to control the state of each linkage in a site-specific manner. Based on superior coupling efficiency, as well as the capacity to control the state of each linkage in a site- specific manner, the phosphoramidite approach appears to offer advantages. Refinement of methodologies is still required, however, particularly when making a transition to large-scale synthesis (10 μmol to 1 mmol and higher). See Padmapriya et al., Antisense Res. Deo. 4: 185 (1994). Several modifications of the standard phosphoramidite processes have already been reported to facilitate the synthesis (Padmapriya et al, supra; Ravikumar et al., Tetrahedron 50: 9255 (1994); Theisen et al., Nucleosides & Nucleotides 12: 43 (1994); and Iyer et al, Nucleosides & Nucleotides H: 1349 (1995)) and isolation (Kuijpers et al., Nucl. Acids Res. 18: 5197 (1990); and Reddy et al.. Tetrahedron Lett. 3§: 4311 (1994)) of oligonucleotides. It is imperative that an efficient sulfur transfer reagent is used for the synthesis of oligonucleotide phosphorothioates via the phosphoroamidite approach. Elemental sulfur is not efficient due to poor solubility and slow sulfurization reaction. A number of more efficient sulfurizing reagents have been reported in recent years. These include phenylacetyl disulfide, (Kamer et al., Tetrahedron Lett. 30: 6757-6760 (1989)), H-l,2-benzodithiol-3-one-l,l-dioxide (Beaucage reagent)(Iyer et al., /. Org. Chem. 55: 4693-4699 (1990)), tetraethylthiuram disulfide (TETD)(Vu et al., Tetrahedron Lett. 32: 3005-3008 (1991)), dibenzoyl tetrasulfide (Rao et al, Tetrahedron Lett. 33: 4839-4842 (1992)), bis(0,0-diisopropoxyphosphinothioyl) disulfide (S-Tetra)(Stec et al., Tetrahedron Lett. 33: 5317-5320 (1993)), benzyltriethyl-ammonium tetrathiomolybate (BTTM) (Rao et al., Tetrahedron Lett. 35: 6741-6744 (1994)), bis(p-toluenesulfonyl) disulfide (Effimov et al., Nucl. Acids Res. 23: 4029-4033 (1995)), 3-ethoxy-l,2,4- dithiazoline-5-one (EDITH)(Xu et al., Nucleic Acid Res. 24:1602-1607 (1996)), and l,2,4-dithiazolidine-3,5-dione (DtsNH)(Xu et al., Nucleic Acid Res. 24:1602-1607 (1996)). Both Beaucage reagent and TETD are commercially available. Beaucage reagent has been widely used, however, its synthesis and stability are not optimal. In addition, the by-product formed by Beaucage reagent during sulfurization, 3H-2,l-benzoxanthiolan-3-one-l-oxide, is a potential oxidizing agent that can lead to undesired phosphodiester linkages under certain conditions. Therefore, its application in large-scale synthesis of oligonucleotide phosphorothioates may not be particularly suitable. We report two commercially available compounds 1 and 2 and novel analogues thereof as potential alternative sulfurizing reagents. There is, therefore, a continuing need to develop new sulfur transfer reagents and processes for sulfurizing oligonucleotides. Ideally, such sulfur transfer reagents should be inexpensive to make, stable in storage, and highly efficient BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides new processes for sulfur transfer reagents in sulfurizing oligonucleotides. The processes according to the invention yield inexpensive to make, stable in storage, and highly efficient in sulfurization. In a first aspect, the invention provides novel sulfur transfer reagents having the structure according to Formula I: Formula I wherein X is R 1 , NR 2 R 3 , NR COR 5 , SR 6 , OR 7 ; each R l , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , and R 5 , is indeperHently H or an alkyl or aromatic organic group; and each R 6 and R 7 is independently an alkyl or aromatic organic group. In a second aspect, the invention relates to novel sulfur transfer reagents having the general structure according to Formula II: Formula II wherein R s is H or an organic group; and R 9 is an organic group. Another aspect of the invention provides for novel sulfur transfer reagents having the general structure according to Formula HI: Formula m wherein R 10 and R u are each independently H or an organic group. In a fourth aspect, the invention provides novel processes for adding a sulfur group to an internucleoside linkage of an oligonucleotide using the novel sulfur transfer reagents according to the, invention. In preferred embodiments, the novel processes according to the invention comprise contacting an oligonucleotide having at least one sulfurizable internucleoside linkage'with a novel sulfur transfer reagent according to the invention for a time sufficient for sulfurization of the sulfurizable internucleoside linkage(s) to occur. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows the HPLC of the standard DMT protected T-T phosphothioate dimer. Figure 1A shows the HPLC of the standard P=S dimer. Figure IB shows the coinjection of P=S and P=0 dimers. Figure 2 shows the HPLC of DMT protected T-T phosphothioate dimer synthesized with compound 1 as a sulfur transfer reagent Figure 2A represents sulfurization conditions with 4 equiv, 1 min. Figure 2B represents sulfurization conditions with 4 equiv, 5 min. Figure 2C represents sulfurization conditions with 12 equiv, 1 min. Figure 2D represents sulfurization conditions with 12 equiv, 5 min. Figure 3 is the HPLC of DMT protected T-T phosphothioate dimer prepared with compound 2 as a sulfur transfer reagent Figure 4 is ' the HPLC of DMT protected T-T phosphothioate dimer prepared using compound 3 as a sulfur transfer reagent. Figure 5 is the HPLC of DMT protected T-T phosphothioate dimer synthesized with compound 4 as a sulfur transfer reagent. Figure 6 shows the HPLC of SEQ ID NO:l synthesized with compound 1 as a sulfur transfer reagent. Figure 6A represents 1 min of sulfurization in each synthetic cycle. Figure 6B represents 2 min of sulfurization in each synthetic cycle. Figure 7 represents the CE of SEQ ID NO:l synthesized with compound 1 as a sulfur transfer reagent, where the sulfurization occurred for 1 min. Figure 8 represents the CE of SEQ ID NO: 1 synthesized with compound 1 as a sulfur transfer reagent, where the sulfurization occurred for 2 min. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention relates to the chemical synthesis of oligonucleotides and to chemical entities useful in such synthesis. More particularly, the invention relates to sulfurization of the internucleoside linkages of oligonucleotides. The patents and publications identified in this specification are within the knowledge of those skilled in this field and are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. The invention provides new sulfur transfer reagents and processes for their use in sulfurizing oligonucleotides. The sulfur transfer reagents according to the invention are inexpensive to make, stable in storage, and highly efficient in sulfurization. In a first aspect, the invention provides novel sulfur transfer reagents having the structure according to Formula L Formula I wherein X is R 1 , NR 2 R 3 , NR*COR 5 , SR 6 , OR 7 ; each R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , and R 5 , is independently H or an alkyl or aromatic organic group; and each R* and R 7 is independently an alkyl or aromatic organic group. In a preferred embodiment, the sulfur transfer reagent having Formula I is 3-amino-1^ -dithiazole-5-thione (1), xanthane hydride (2), 3-N-acetyl-3- amino-l^ 4-dithiazole-5-thione (3), 3-N-trimethylacetyl-3-amino-l,2,4-c thiazole- 5-thione (4), 3-N-benzoyl-3-amino-l,2,4-dithiazole-5-thione (5), or 3-N- benzenesulfonyl-3-amino-l^,4-dithiazole-5-thione (6). In a second aspect, the invention relates to novel sulfur transfer reagents having the general structure according to Formula II: Formula π wherein R 8 is H or an organic group; and R 9 is an organic group. Another aspect of the invention provides for novel sulfur transfer reagents having the general structure according to Formula IE: Formula in wherein each R 10 and R n is independently H or an organic group. TrTa preferred embodiment, the sulfur transfer reagent having Formula HI is 3-ammo-l,2,4-<UtWazole-5-thione (l), xanthane hydride (2), 3-N-acetyl-3- amino-l^ 4-dithiazole-5-thione (3), 3-N-trimethylacetyl-3-amino-l^,4-dithiazole- 5-thione (4), 3-N-benzoyl-3-ammo-lA4-dithiazole-5-thione (5), or 3-N- benzenesιιlfonyl-3-amino-lA4-dithiazole-5-thione (6). The compounds 1 and 2, 3-ammo-l,2,4-dittøazole-5-thione and xanthane hydride respectively, are commercially available from several chemical companies, including Lancaster, Crescent Chemicals, Maybridge, and TCI America. The purity of compounds 1 and 2 obtained is higher than 98%, and both compoimds can be directly used in oligonucleotide syntiiesis without any additional purification. These compounds have been used in the rubber industry as vulcanization reagents. However, these compounds, to our best knowledge, have not been applied in the synthesis of oligonucleotides. Derivatives of compound 1 may be easily synthesized. Starting from compound 1, 3-N-acetyl-3-aιmr 1^ -dithiazole-5-thione (3), 3-N- trimethylacetyl-3-amino-l^,4-dithiazole-5-thione (4), 3-N-benzoyl-3-amino-l,2,4- dithiazole-5-thione (5), and 3-N-benzenesutfonyl-3-aιrtino-l,2,4-dithiazole-5- thione (6) were conveniently prepared by solid-phase phosphoramidite approach in a better than 70% yield according to Scheme 1. Scheme 1 As explained in greater detail below, the reaction conditions included acetic anhydride/pyridine for 3 (96%); trimethyl acetic anhydride/EtjN for 4 (70%); benzoyl chloride/Et 3 N for 5 (70%); and benzene sulfonyl chloride/Et 3 N for 6 (76%). The final products can be purified by a simple precipitation. Stability and solubility studies of the sulfur transfer reagents were performed. Compounds 1-6 are stable in CH 3 CN, pyridine-CH 3 CN (1:9), and pyridine for more than one week. No precipitation occurred during testing period. All the testing reagents are stable during the operation of automatic DNA synthesizer, no clogging or other problems were observed during the syntheses. Parent compounds 1 and 2 can be dissolved in CH 3 CN to form a 0.01 M solution. Their solubility can be increased with addition of pyridine [0.02 M in pyridine-CH 3 CN (1:9); 0.5 M in neat pyridine]. Derivatization of the parent compounds also can improve the solubility in CH 3 CN (>0.02 M), e.g., compound 4 has a solubility better than 1 M in neat CH 3 CN. Accordingly, it has been demonstrated that the oligonucleotide phosphorothioates can be efficiently prepared by solid-phase phosphoramidite approach using 3-amino-l,2,4-dithiazole-5-thione (1), xanthane hydride (2), and their corresponding derivatives. Compounds 1 and 2 are commercially available and relatively inexpensive compared with currently used sulfurizing reagents, such as Beaucage reagent and EDITH. Due to its high efficiency and low cost, compounds 1 and 2, and their appropriately modified analogues can „ . be considered as an advantageous alternative to Beaucage reagent, especially m large-scale preparation of oligonucleotide phosphorothioates. In another aspect, the invention provides novel processes for adding a sulfur group to an internucleoside linkage of an oligonucleotide using the novel sulfur transfer reagents according to the invention. In preferred embodiments, the novel processes according to the invention comprise contacting an oligonucleotide having at least one sulfurizable internucleoside linkage with a novel sulfur transfer reagent according to the invention for a time sufficient for sulfurization of the sulfurizable internucleoside linkage(s) to occur. Each sulfurizable internucleoside linkage preferably contains a phosphorous (HI) atom. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the sulfurizable internucleoside linkage is a phosphite, thiophosphite, H- phosphonate, thio-H-phosphonate, or alkylphosphite (especially methylphosphite) internucleoside linkage. Preferably, the sulfurization reaction would be allowed to proceed to a sulfur transfer efficiency greater than that expected for the prior art compounds, as measured by 31 P-NMR. In typical synthesis conditions such efficiency is achieved within from about 1 to about 5 minutes reaction time with the novel transfer reagents. Typically, the reaction takes place in pyridine, THF, or mixtures thereof. For purposes of this aspect of the invention, the term oligonucleotide includes linear polymers of two or more natural deoxyribonucleotide, ribonucleotide, or 2'-0-substituted ribonucleotide monomers, or any combination thereof. The term oligonucleotide also encompasses such polymers having chemically modified bases or sugars and/or non-nucleosidic analogs linked by phosphodiester bonds or analogs thereof ranging in size from a few monomeric units, e.g., 2-3, to several hundred monomeric units and/or having additional substituents, including without limitation lipophilic groups, intercalating agents, diamines and adamantane. In particular, oligonudeotides may also indude non-natural oligomers having phosphorous-containing internudeoside linkages whose phosphorous (HI) precursors are amenable to sulfurization, (See, e.g., Takeshita et al., /. Biol. Chem 2§2: 10171-10179 (1987).) For purposes of the invention, the term "2'-0-substituted" means substitution of the 2' position of the pentose moiety with an -O-lower alkyl group containing 1-6 saturated or unsaturated carbon atoms, or with an -O-aryl or allyl group having 2-6 carbon atoms, wherein such alkyl, aryl or allyl group may be unsubstituted or may be substituted, e.g., with halogen, hydroxy, trifluoromethyl, cyano, nitro, acyl, acyloxy, alkoxy, carboxy, carbalkoxy, or amino groups; or with a hydroxy, an amino or a halogen group, but not with a 2'-H group. Such oligonudeotides may indude any of the internucleoside linkages which are known in the art, induding without limitation phosphorothioate, phosphorodithioate, alkylphosphonate (espedally methylphosphonate), phosphoramidate, amide (PNA), carbamate, and alkylphosphonothioate linkages. In a preferred embodiment, the oligonudeotide is bound to a solid support, but such oligonudeotides may be sulfurized in solution phase as well. The effidency of these new sulfur-transfer reagents was first evaluated by solicPphase syntheses of dinudeotide phosphorothioate, 5'-DMT-TT-OH-3'. (Figure 1.) Synthesis was performed at 1.0 μmol scale using the standard phosphorothioate protocol ("THIO lμmol"). The dinudeotide phosphorothioate was analyzed by reverse-phase HPLC. The results show that a better than 99% sulfur transfer effidency was achieved using compounds 1 and 2. (Figures 2 and 3, respectively.) Compounds 3-4 were also found to be effident sulfur- transfer reagents. (Figures 4-5.) To further evaluate the usefulness of compounds 1 and 2 as effident sulfurizing reagents, an oligonudeotide phosphorothioate, 5'- CTCTCGCACCCATCTCTCTCCTTCT-3' (SEQ ID NO:l), was synthesized at 1.0 μmol scale using a 0.02 M solution in CHgCN/pyridine (9:1) for 1 or 2 min of sulfurization in each synthetic cyde. After ammonolytic release from CPG and deprotection, the crude oligonudeotide phosphorothioate was analyzed by ion exchange-HPLC and CE. (Figures 6-8.) The results show that more than 995% sulfur transfer effidency was achieved at each step, and a yield better than 80% has been achieved in these syntheses (see Figure 3). Examples The following examples are intended to further illustrate certain preferred embodiments of the invention and are not intended to be limiting in nature. In general, anhydrous pyridine and CHjClz were purchased from Aldrich (Milwaukee, WI). Anhydrous CH 3 CN was purchased from J. T. Baker Inc. (Phillipsburg, NJ). dT-CPG, 5'-DMT-thymidine cyanoethyl phosphoramidite, Cap A, Cap B, activator, oxidizing and deblock solutions were purchased from PerSeptive Biosystems, (Framingham, MA). Beaucage reagent ( 3 H-l,2-benzocUthiol-3-one-l,l-dioxide) was purchased from R. I. Chemical (Orange, CA). All other chemicals were purchased from Aldrich. 31 P NMR spectra (121.65 MHz) and l H NMR spectra (300 MHz) were recorded on a Varian UNITY 300 (the chemical shift was correlated to 85% H 3 P0 4 and tetramethylsilane, respectively). Dinudeotide and oligonudeotide syntheses were performed on an automated nudeic acid synthesizer (8909 Expedite™, Millipore, Bedford, MA). Reverse phase HPLC was performed on a Waters 600E pump with a Waters 440 absorbance detector, Waters 746 integrator, and a Nova-Pak C18 (3.9 X 150 mm) column, using a linear gradient of CH 3 CN- aqueous NH^OAc (0.1 M) (4:1) and 0.1 M aqueous NI-^OAc from 1:9 to 3:2 over a period of 40 min, flow rate 2 mL/min, detection at 260 ran. Ion- exchange HPLC analyses were performed on a Beckman System Gold 126 with a Beckman 166 absorbance detector on a NUCEOPAC PA-100 column (4 x 50 mm) using a linear gradient of Buffer A (25 mM of Tris-HCl and 1 mM EDTA, CH 3 CN, pH=8) and Buffer B (2 M NaCl and buffer A) from 100% A to 100% B over a period of 5 min, then maintained at 100% B for 3 min, flow rate 2 mL/min, detection at 254 nm. Capillary electrophoresis was performed on a Beckman P/ACE System 5010. Samples were injected for 5 seconds and analyzed for 40 min. The compound 3-am o-l,2,4-dithiazole-5-thione (1) was commerdally available at 98% purity from several chemical companies, induding Lancaster, Crescent Chemicals, and Maybridge, and can be directly used without further purification. The compound xanthane hydride (2) was commerdally available from TCI America at 98% purity, and can be directly used without any further purification. Example 1 Synthesis of 3-N-acetyl-3-amino-l,2,4-dithiazole-5-thione (3) Neat acetic anhydride (1.49 mL, 16 mmol) was added dropwise to the suspension of 3-amino-l,2,4-dithiazole-5-thione (compound 1, 2.0 g, 13 mmol) in the mixture of pyridine-CHjCN (15, 50 mL) over a period of 30 min. The resultant dear yellow solution was stirred at 25°C for 1 h, then concentrated under reduced pressure. The resultant yellow solid was dissolved in EtOAc (500 mL), washed with 10% aqueous dtric add (500 mL), H z O (2 x 500 mL), then brine (500 mL), and then dried over NajSOj. Evaporation of the organic solvent gave the title yellow solid. Yield: 2.50 g (96%); m.p. 229.6-230.1° C. Example 2 Synthesis of 3-N-trimethylacetyl-3-amino-l,2,4-dithia_zole-5-t-ύone (4) Neat trimethylacetic anhydride (3.20 mL, 16 mmol) was added to the suspension of 3-ammo-l,24-ctithiazole-5-thione (compound 1, 2.0 g, 13 mmol) in the mixture of EtjN-CBjClz (1:5, 30 mL) in one portion. A dear yellow solution was obtained in 10 min, and stirred at 25°C for 2 h, and then concentrated under reduced pressure. The resultant yellow solid was dissolved in EtOAc (100 mL), washed with 10% aqueous dtric add (2 x 100 mL), H 2 0 (2 x 100 mL), then brine (100 mL), and then dried over Organic solvent was removed under reduced pressure, the resultant yellow solid was treated with hexane (100 mL ) and stored at 4 °C for 2 h. The yellow predpitate was collected by filtration, washed with hexane (3 x 5 mL), and dried in vacuo. Yield: 2.17 g (70%); m.p. 179.6-179.6'C. Example 3 Synthesis of 3-N-benzoyl-3-amino-l,2,4-dithiazole-5-thione (5) 3-Amino-l,2,4-dithiazole-5-thione (compound 1, 1.0 g, 6.6 mmol) was suspended in the mixture of Et 3 N-CH 2 Cl 2 (1:5, 20 mL), followed by addition of benzόic'chloride (0.92 mL, 1.2 equiv). A dear yellow solution was obtained in 5 min. Reaction solution was stirred at 25°C for 2 h, then concentrated under reduced pressure to remove organic solvent. The resultant yellow solid was treated with EtOAc (200 mL), the insoluble solid was removed by filtration, and the EtOAc layer was washed with 10% aqueous dtric add (2 x 200 mL), I^O (2 x 200 mL), brine (200 mL), and dried over Na 2 S0 4 . Evaporation of EtOAc gave a yellow solid, which was treated with (100 mL), then followed by addition of hexane (100 mL). The resultant solid was removed by filtration, and the filtrate was removed under reduced pressure to give a yellow solid. Yield: 1.17 g (70%). Example 4 Synthesis of 3-N-benzenestdfonyl-3-a__nlno-l,2,4-dithiazole-5-thione (6) Except that benzene sulfonyl chloride was used instead of benzoic chloride, the reaction conditions and work-up process are identical to the preparation of compound 5. Yield: 1.46 g (76%). Example 5 Stability and Solubility Studies of Xanthane Hydride, 3-Amino-l,2,4- dithiazole-5-thione, and Their Corresponding Derivatives in CH 3 CN The solubility and stability studies were carried out in CH 3 CN, pyridine- CH 3 C TU:9), and pyridine at 25°C in all the cases. The saturated solution was dried, and the solubility was determined by the weight of the testing compounds in the exad volume of testing solution. The stability was determined based on either TLC or HPLC analyses. Example 6 Synthesis of Dinudeotide Phosphorothioate Dimer was assembled on a PerSeptive DNA/RNA (Millipore 8909 Expedite™, Millipore, Bedford, MA) on a 0.1 μmol scale using the synthesis protocol "THIO 1 μmol" (Expedite software version 1.01), starting from DMT-T- Su-CPG (500 A, loading: 60 μmol/g). Sulfurizing reagents were prepared in either CHjCN or pyridine-CH 3 CN (1:9) at a concentration of 0.02 M unless specified. Sulfurization was carried out using 4 equiv or 12 equiv of sulfurizing reagents for 1 or 5 min reaction, respectively. Final deavage was carried out by treatment using concentrated ammonium hydroxide (1 μmol/1 mL) at 25°C for 1 h. CPG and other insoluble residues were removed by filtration, and the ammonium hydroxide solution was dried by lyophilization. HPLC analysis as carried out using a linear gradient of 0.1 M aqueous NH<OAc and CH 3 CN-aqueous NH«OAc (0.1 M) (4:1) from 1:9 to 3:2 over a period of 40 min, flow rate 1.0 mL/min, detection at 260 nm. 5'-DMT-T(P=S)- T-OH-3' diastereomers were eluted at t R = 31.6 min and t R = 31.7 min. The corresponding P=0 dimer was eluted at t R = 28.4 min. (Figure 1.) Example 7 Synthesis of a Oligonucleotide Phosphorothioate (5'- cπxrrcGC_ACcc_Aτcrrcτcrccττcτ-3' (SEQ ID NOΛ)) The chain assembly was carried out using the same protocol as described in the dinudeotide phosphorothioate synthesis. Sulfurizing reagent (compound 1) was prepared at a concentration of 0.02 M in pyridine-CHjCN (1:9), and sulfurization was carried out using 12 equiv for 1 or 2 min. respectively. Ion exchange HPLC and CE analyses were performed to evaluate the synthesis of this oligomer.

Claims: What we daim: 1. A sulfur transfer reagent having the general structure according to Formula I Formula I wherein X is R 1 , NR 2 R 3 , NR^OR 5 , SR*, OR 7 ; each R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , and R 5 , is independently H or an alkyl or aromatic organic group. 2. The sulfur transfer reagent according to daim 1 wherein Formula I is 3- amino-l,2,4-dithiazole-5-thione, xanthane hydride, 3-N-acetyl-3-amino-l,2,4- dithiazole-5-thione, 3-N-trimethylacetyl-3-amino-l^,4-dithiazole-5-thione, 3-N- benzoyl-3-ammo-l,2,4-dithiazole-5-thione, or 3-N-benzenesulfonyl-3-amino- l,2,4-d_ttøazo_e-5-thione. 3. A sulfur transfer reagent having the general structure according to Formula Formula π wherein R 8 is H or an organic group; and R 9 is an organic group. 4. A sulfur transfer reagent having the general structure according to Formula m Formula HI wherein R 10 and R n are each independently H or an organic group. 5. The sulfur transfer reagent according to daim 4 wherein Formula HI is Formula I is 3-amino-l^,4-dithiazole-5-thione, xanthane hydride, 3-N-acetyl-3- amino-l,2,4-dithiazole-5-thione, 3-N-trimethylacetyl-3-ammo-l,2,4-dithiazole-5- thione, 3-N-benzoyl-3-ammo-l,2,4-dittøazole-5-thione, or 3-N-benzenesulfonyl-3- ammo-l,2,4-dithiazole-5-thione. 6. A process for adding a sulfur group to an internudeoside linkage of an oligonudeotide, the process comprising contacting an oligonudeotide having at least one sulfurizable internudeoside linkage with the novel sulfur transfer reagent according to daim 1 for a time suffident for sulfurization of the sulfurizable internucleoside linkage(s) to occur. 7. The process according to daim 6, wherein each sulfurizable internudeoside linkage contains a phosphorous (HI) atom. 8. The process according to daim 7, wherein the sulfurizable internudeoside linkage is a phosphite, thiophosphite, H-phosphonate, thio-H-phosphonate, or alkylphosphite internucleoside linkage. 9. The process according to daim 8, wherein the sulfurization reaction is allowed to proceed from about 1 to about 5 minutes. 10. A process for adding a sulfur group to an internudeoside linkage of an oligonudeotide, the process comprising contacting an oligonudeotide having at least one sulfurizable internudeoside linkage with the novd sulfur transfer reagent according to daim 2 for a time suffident for sulfurization of the sulfurizable internudeoside linkage(s) to occur. 11. The process according to daim 10, wherein each sulfurizable internucleoside linkage contains a phosphorous (HI) atom. 12. The process according to daim 11, wherein the sulfurizable internudeoside linkage is a phosphite, thiophosphite, H-phosphonate, thio-H-phosphonate, or alkyiphosphite internucleoside linkage. 13. The process according to daim 12, wherein the sulfurization reaction is allowed to proceed from about 1 to about 5 minutes. 14. A process for adding a sulfur group to an internudeoside linkage of an oligonudeotide, the process comprising contacting an oligonudeotide having at least one sulfurizable internudeoside linkage with the novel sulfur transfer reagent according to daim 3 for a time suffident for sulfurization of the sulfurizable internucleoside linkage(s) to occur. 5 15. The process according to daim 14, wherein eadi sulfurizable internudeoside linkage contains a phosphorous (IH) atom. 10 16. The process according to daim 15, wherein the sulfurizable internudeoside linkage is a phosphite, thiophosphite, H-phosphonate, thio-H-phosphonate, or alkylphosphite interrtudeoside linkage. 15 17. The process according to daim 16, wherein the sulfurization reaction is allowed to proceed from about 1 to about 5 minutes. 20 18- A process for adding a sulfur group to an internudeoside linkage of an oligonudeotide, the process comprising contacting an oligonudeotide having at least one sulfurizable internudeoside linkage with the novel sulfur transfer reagent according to daim 4 for a time suffident for sulfurization of the 25 sulfurDSible internudeoside linkage(s) to occur. 19. The process according to daiin 18, wherein eadi sulfurizable internucleoside linkage contains a phosphorous (HI) atom. 30 20. The process according to daim 19, wherein the sulfurizable internudeoside linkage is a phosphite, thiophosphite, H-phosphonate, thio-H-phosphonate, or alkylphosphite internucleoside linkage. 21. The process according to daim 20, wherein the sulfurization reaction is allowed to proceed from about 1 to about 5 minutes. 22. A process for adding a sulfur group to an internudeoside linkage of an oligonudeotide, the process comprising contacting an oligonudeotide having at least one sulfurizable internudeoside linkage with the novd sulfur transfer reagent according to claim 5 for a time suffident for sulfurization of the sulfurizable internudeoside linkage(s) to occur. 23. The process according to daim 22, wherein each sulfurizable internucleoside linkage contains a phosphorous (HI) atom. 24. The process according to daim 23, wherein the sulfurizable internudeoside linkage is a phosphite, thiophosphite, H-phosphonate, thio-H-phosphonate, or alkylp ' RSsphite internucleoside linkage. 25. The process according to dai 24, wherein the sulfurization reaction is allowed to proceed from about 1 to about 5 minutes.

Inventors: TANG JIMMY, TANG JIN-YAN, YONGXIN HAN, ZHANG ZHOADA, TANG, JIMMY, TANG, JIN-YAN, YONGXIN, HAN, ZHANG, ZHOADA
Applicants: HYBRIDON INC, HYBRIDON, INC.
Application year: 1998
Main classification: C07H21
IPC codes: C07D285, C07H21