Stereodivergent Synthesis of Biologically Active Spironucleoside Scaffolds via Catalytic Cyclopropanation of 4-exo-Methylene Furanosides

Cyclopropane fusion of the only rotatable carbon-carbon bond in furanosyl nucleosides (i.e., exocyclic 4'-5') is a powerful design strategy to arrive at conformationally constrained analogues. Herein, we report a direct stereodivergent route toward the synthesis of the four possible configurations of 4-spirocyclopropane furanoses, which have been transformed into the corresponding 4'-spirocyclic adenosine analogues. The latter showed differential inhibition of the protein methyltransferase PRMT5-MEP50 complex, with one analogue inhibiting more effectively than adenosine itself, demonstrating the utility of rationally probing 4'-5' side chain orientations.