Novel compounds

Claim 2

A compound of formula (I), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein R₁ is hydroxy, amino, chloro or OR₇ wherein R₇ is C₁₋₆ alkyl, phenyl or phenyl C₁₋₂ alkyl either of which phenyl moieties may be substituted by one or two substituents selected from halo, C₁₋₄ alkyl or C₁₋₄ alkoxy; R₂ is amino or, when R₁ is hydroxy or amino, R₂ may also be hydrogen; X is -CH₂CH₂- or a moiety of structure (a), (b) or (c): wherein n is 1 or 2; m is 0, 1 or 2; and R₃ is hydrogen or acyl; R₄ is a group of formula: wherein R₅ and R₆ are independently selected from hydrogen, C₁₋₆ alkyl and optionally substituted phenyl.

Claim 3

A compound according to claim 1 wherein R₁ is hydroxy and R₂ is amino, or R₁ is amino and R₂ is hydrogen.

Claim 4

A compound according to claim 1 or 2 wherein X is -CH₂CH₂-.

Claim 5

A compound according to any one of claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein X is of structure (a) as defined in claim 1, and n is 1.

Claim 6

A compound according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein R₅ and R₆ are both hydrogen.

Claim 7

A compound selected from the group consisting of: 9-[3-(diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy)propoxy]guanine, 9-[3-(phosphonomethoxy)propoxy]guanine, 2,6-diamino-9-[3-(diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy)prop oxy]purine, 2,6-diamino-9-[3-(phosphonomethoxy)propoxy]­purine, 9-[3-(diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy)propoxy]adenine, 9-[3-(phosphonomethoxy)propoxy]adenine, 9-[3-(ethoxy(hydroxy)phosphorylmethoxy)propoxy]­guanine, 2,6-diamino-9-[(3-diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy-2-­hydroxymethyl)propoxy]purine, 2,6-diamino-9-[(2-hydroxymethyl-3-phosphono­methoxy)propoxy]purine, 9-[(3-diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy-2-hydroxy­methyl)propoxy]guanine, 9-[(2-hydroxymethyl-3-phosphonomethoxy)propoxy]­guanine, 9-[(3-diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy-2-hydroxy­methyl)propoxy]adenine, 9-[(2-hydroxymethyl-3-phosphonomethoxypropoxy]­adenine, 9-[(3-ethoxy(hydroxy)phosphorylmethoxy-2-­hydroxymethyl)propoxy]guanine, 9-(1-diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy-3-hydroxyprop-2-­oxy)guanine, 9-(1-hydroxy-3-phosphonomethoxyprop-2-oxy)­guanine, 9-(1-diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy-3-hydroxyprop-2-­oxy)adenine, 9-(1-hydroxy-3-phosphonomethoxyprop-2-oxy)­adenine, 2,6-diamino-9-[1-(diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy)-3-­hydroxyprop-2-oxy]purine, 2,6-diamino-9-[1-hydroxy-3-(phosphonomethoxy)­prop-2-oxy]purine, 9-[2-hydroxy-3-(phosphonomethoxy)propoxy]­guanine, 9-[3-(diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy)-2-hydroxy­propoxy]adenine, 9-[2-hydroxy-3-(phosphonomethoxy)propoxy]­adenine, 9-[4-(diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy)-1-hydroxybut-2-­oxy]guanine, 9-[1-hydroxy-4-(phosphonomethoxy)but-2-oxy]­guanine, 9-[4-(diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy)-1-hydroxybut-2-­oxy]adenine and 9-[1-hydroxy-4-(phosphonomethoxy)but-2-oxy]­adenine.

Claim 8

A compound selected from the group consisting of: 9-[3-(diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy)propoxy]guanine, 9-[3-(phosphonomethoxy)propoxy]guanine, 2,6-diamino-9-[3-(diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy)prop oxy]purine, 2,6-diamino-9-[3-(phosphonomethoxy)propoxy]­purine, 9-[3-(diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy)propoxy]adenine, 9-[3-(phosphonomethoxy)propoxy]adenine, 9-[3-(ethoxy(hydroxy)phosphorylmethoxy)propoxy]­guanine, 2,6-diamino-9-[(3-diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy-2-­hydroxymethyl)propoxy]purine, 2,6-diamino-9-[(2-hydroxymethyl-3-phosphono­methoxy)propoxy]purine, 9-[(3-diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy-2-hydroxy­methyl)propoxy]guanine, 9-[(2-hydroxymethyl-3-phosphonomethoxy)propoxy]­guanine, 9-[(3-diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy-2-hydroxy­methyl)propoxy]adenine, 9-[(2-hydroxymethyl-3-phosphonomethoxypropoxy]­adenine, 9-[(3-ethoxy(hydroxy)phosphorylmethoxy-2-­hydroxymethyl)propoxy]guanine, 9-(1-diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy-3-hydroxyprop-2-­oxy)guanine, 9-(1-hydroxy-3-phosphonomethoxyprop-2-oxy)­guanine, 9-(1-diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy-3-hydroxyprop-2-­oxy)adenine, 9-(1-hydroxy-3-phosphonomethoxyprop-2-oxy)­adenine, 2,6-diamino-9-[1-(diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy)-3-­hydroxyprop-2-oxy]purine, 2,6-diamino-9-[1-hydroxy-3-(phosphonomethoxy)­prop-2-oxy]purine, 9-[2-hydroxy-3-(phosphonomethoxy)propoxy]­guanine, 9-[3-(diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy)-2-hydroxy­propoxy]adenine, 9-[2-hydroxy-3-(phosphonomethoxy)propoxy]­adenine, 9-[4-(diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy)-1-hydroxybut-2-­oxy]guanine, 9-[1-hydroxy-4-(phosphonomethoxy)but-2-oxy]­guanine, 9-[4-(diethoxyphosphorylmethoxy)-1-hydroxybut-2-­oxy]adenine and 9-[1-hydroxy-4-(phosphonomethoxy)but-2-oxy]­adenine.

Claim 9

A process for the preparation of a compound according to claim 1, which process comprises either i) imidazole ring closure of a compound of formula (II): wherein Q is a group capable of cyclising to form an imidazole ring, such as amino or an amino derivative, for example, formylamino; or ii) pyrimidine ring closure of a compound of formula (III): wherein Y is amino or C₁₋₆ alkoxy, with a condensing agent capable of cyclising to form a pyrimidine ring having a 2-R₂′ substituent, to give a compound of formula (I) wherein R₁ is hydroxy and R₂ is amino; or iii) condensing a compound of formula (IV): with a side chain intermediate of formula (V): R₄′OCH₂X′Z      (V) wherein Z is a leaving group; and wherein, in formulae (II) to (V), R₁′, R₂′, X′, R₄′ are R₁, R₂, R₃ and R₄ respectively, or groups or atoms convertible thereto; and thereafter, when desired or necessary, converting R₁′, R₂′, X′ and/or R₄′, when other than R₁, R₂, X and/or R₄ to R₁, R₂, X and/or R₄ respectively, and/or converting R₁′, R₂′, X′ and/or R₄′ when R₁, R₂, X and/or R₄, to other R₁, R₂, X and/or R₄.

Claim 10

An intermediate compound of formula (II) as defined in claim 7.

Claim 11

An intermediate compound of formula (III) as defined in claim 7.

Claim 12

An intermediate compound of formula: R₄OCH₂X′ONH₂ wherein X′ is X or wherein R₃ in X is replaced by a protecting group, and R₄ and X are as defined in claim 1.

Claim 13

An intermediate compound selected from the group consisting of: diethyl 3-aminooxypropoxymethylphosphonate, diethyl 2-acetoxymethyl-3-aminooxypropoxymethyl­phosphonate and diethyl 2-aminooxy-3-t-butyldimethylsilyloxy­propoxymethylphosphonate.

Claim 14

An intermediate compound selected from the group consisting of: diethyl 3-aminooxypropoxymethylphosphonate, diethyl 2-acetoxymethyl-3-aminooxypropoxymethyl­phosphonate and diethyl 2-aminooxy-3-t-butyldimethylsilyloxy­propoxymethylphosphonate.

Claim 15

A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound according to any one of claims 1 to 6, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

Claim 16

A compound according to any one of claims 1 to 6 for use as an active therapeutic substance.

Claim 17

A compound according to any one claims 1 to 6 for use in treating viral infections or in treating neoplastic diseases.

Claim 18

Use of a compound according to any one of claims 1 to 6 in the manufacture of a medicament for use in the treatment of viral infections or neoplastic diseases.