Synthesis and Physicochemical Properties of 2′-Deoxy- 2′,2″-difluoro-β-D-ribofuranosyl and 2′-Deoxy-2′,2″- difluoro-α-D-ribofuranosyl Oligonucleotides

Abstract We present procedures for nucleoside and oligonucleotide synthesis, binding affinity (T m) and structural analysis (CD spectra) of 2′-deoxy-2′,2″-difluoro-α-D-ribofuranosyl and 2′-deoxy-2′,2″-difluoro-β-D-ribofuranosyl oligothymidylates. Possible reasons for the thermal instability of duplexes formed between these compounds and RNA or DNA targets are discussed.