6‐[2‐Phosphonomethoxy)Alkoxy]‐2,4‐Diaminopyrimidines: A New Class of Acyclic Pyrimidine Nucleoside Phosphonates with Antiviral Activity

Acyclic nucleoside phosphonate derivatives containing a pyrimidine base preferably bearing amino groups at C-2 and C-4 (DAPym), and linked at the C-6 position to (S)-[3-hydroxy-2-(phosphonomethoxy)propoxy] (HPMPO), 2-(phosphonomethoxy) ethoxy (PMEO) or (R)-[2-(phosphonomethoxy)propoxy] (PMPO), display an antiviral sensitivity spectrum that closely mimic that of the parental (S)-HPMP-, PME- and (R)-PMP-purine derivatives. Several PMEO-DAPym derivatives proved as potent as PMEA (adefovir) and (R)-PMPA (tenofovir) in inhibiting Moloney murine sarcoma virus (MSV)-induced tumor formation in newborn NMRI mice. The HPMPO-, PMEO- and PMPO-DAPym derivatives represent a novel well-defined subclass among the acyclic nucleoside phosphonates endowed with potent and selective antiviral activity.