Effect of 2-amino substitution on the antiviral effects of 5-ethyl-2'-deoxyuridine and (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine and their incorporation into DNA

Abstract The 2-amino derivatives of 5-ethyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EDU) and (E)-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2′-deoxyuridine (BVDU) have been synthesized and evaluated for anti-herpesvirus activity. They were at least 1000-fold less effective against herpes simplex virus replication than the parent compounds EDU and BVDU. The 5′-triphosphates of the 2-amino substituted EDU, BVDU and thymidine derivatives were also synthesized and examined on their substrate/inhibitor properties against different DNA polymerases. None of the compounds proved markedly inhibitory to HSV-1 DNA polymerase or cellular DNA polymerase a. Nor were they incorporated into the growing DNA chain.