Kourafalos VN1, Marakos P, Pouli N, Townsend LB. J Org Chem. 2003 Aug 8;68(16):6466-9.
The preparation of 4-deazaformycin A has been achieved. The synthesis features the condensation of a suitably substituted, lithiated 4-picoline with 2,3,5-tri-O-benzyl-d-ribonolactone, dehydration of the resulting hemiacetal, and ionic hydrogenation, followed by manipulation of the protecting groups and subsequent ring closure with the formation of 7-amino-3-(beta-d-ribofuranosyl)pyrazolo[3,4-c]pyridine.