Synthesis of purine nucleosides using iodine as catalyst.

Iodine has been found to be an excellent catalyst for the synthesis of nucleosides, i.e., the reaction of 1-O-acetyl-2, 3, 5-tri-O-benzoyl-β-D-ribofuranose with various purines in the presence of iodine resulted in the formation of corresponding 9-β-D-ribonucleosides, and/or their isomers in good yields.