Synthesis of 3,9-dialkylguanines and their conversion into 3-alkylwyes, models for the fluorescent nucleosides from phenylalanine transfer ribonucleic acids

Synthesis of 3,9-dialkylguanines 5 has been accomplished by N-cyanation of 1-alkyl-5-(alkylamino)imidazole-4- carboxamides 3 followed by base-catalysed cyclisation. Cyclocondensation of 9-alkyl-3-methylguanines 5a, d, f with MeCOCH2Br gave 3-alkylwyes 6, model compounds of the most probable structure for wyosine from Torulopsis utilis tRNAPhe.