A simple and convenient synthetic protocols based on H-phosphonate chemistry have been developed for the preparation of nucleoside 5′-diphosphates. It consists of oxidation of the silylated H-phosphonate monoesters in pyridine with iodine to produce the corresponding N-pyridiniumphosphonate intermediates, followed by their reactions with orthophosphoric acid used as a nucleophile. The added value of the method is that substrates for the reaction, H-phosphonate monoesters, can be prepared in situ from the corresponding nucleosides and used for the next step without isolation. The procedure is simple and applicable to the preparation of various diphosphates of ribo- and deoxyribonucleosides, and their analogues.

This review provides a short account of the chemical synthesis of nucleoside di- and triphosphates on a historical background, together with the use of this class of compounds as potential pronucleotides in anti-HIV therapy.