Chemoenzymatic preparation of nucleosides from furanoses

Chemoenzymatic preparation of ribose, deoxyribose and arabinose 5-phosphates was accomplished. These compounds were tested as starting materials in the enzymatic preparation of natural and modified purine and pyrimidine nucleosides, using an overexpressed Escherichia coli phosphopentomutase. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.