The conformationally restricted adenine nucleotide analogs 8,3'anhydro-8-oxy-9-(beta-D-xylofuranosyl)adenine-5'-O-tri(di)-phosphate (I), and 8,2'-anhydro-8-oxy-9-(beta-D-arabinofuranosyl) adenine-5'-O-tri(di)-phosphate (II), were prepared chemically as their alpha-32P-labelled compounds and compared with syn-structured 8-bromo AT(D)P in mitochondrial adenine nucleotide translocation. The experimental findings demonstrate that the heterocycle-ribose orientation affects the carrier mediated adenine nucleotide transport very strongly, i.e. a non fixed adenine heterocycle in the anti region is prerequisite for the bound nucleotide to induce the transfer action of the adenine nucleotide carrier.