From Adenosine to 3‘-Deoxyadenosine:  Development and Scale Up

A manufacturing process has been developed suitable for the production of 3‘-deoxyadenosine (cordycepin, 3‘-dA) in 20% yield from adenosine. The chemistry involves conversion of adenosine to isomeric 2‘,3‘-bromoacetates with isolation of the desired isomer in high purity. Acidic hydrolysis followed by hydrogenolysis afforded product with a purity of ≥99%. Unlike routes reported in the literature, intermediates are isolated as solids, thus avoiding the use of chromatography for isomer separation and final product purification.