Synthesis of sulfone-based nucleotide isosteres: identification of CMP-sialic acid synthetase inhibitors.

A modular replacement approach to the synthesis of sulfo-nucleotide analogs prepared from condensation of nucleoside aldehydes with bis phosphonate Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reagents is disclosed. These analogs were shown to be inhibitors of Neisseria meningitidis CSS (NmCSS), which is a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of the capsular polysaccharides required for bacterial infection.