Patent ID: 8394934

Claim:
A method of synthesizing 2′,3′-didehydro-2′,3′-dideoxynucleosides, the method comprising: (a) providing a 2,2′-anhydronucleoside; (b) contacting the 2,2′-anhydronucleoside with a nucleophile to form a product or an intermediate, wherein the nucleophile comprises a telluride dianion, or an alkyl or aryl telluride monoanion having from 1 to 24 carbon atoms; and (c) contacting the product or intermediate from step (b) with an oxidizing agent, a reducing agent, or a nucleophile to facilitate the elimination of a nucleophile-derived substituent, wherein the nucleophile-derived substituent comprises a telluride dianion-derived substituent, an alkyl or aryl telluride monoanion-derived substituent, or another leaving group from the product or the intermediate.