Process for preparing inhibitors of nucleoside phosphorylases and nucleosidases

A process for preparing a compound of the formula (I)

• wherein:
• V is selected from CH2 and NH, and W is NR1;
• or
• V is NR1, and W is selected from CH2 and NH;
• X is selected from CH2 and CHOH in the R or S-configuration, except where W is selected from NH and NR1, then X is CH2;
• Y is selected from hydrogen, halogen and hydroxy, except where V is selected from NH and NR1, then Y is hydrogen;
• Z is selected from hydrogen, halogen, hydroxy, a sulfonate leaving group, SQ, OQ and Q, where Q is an optionally substituted alkyl, aralkyl or aryl group;
• and
• R1 is a radical of the formula (II)
• wherein:
• A is selected from N, CH and CR2, where R2 is selected from halogen, optionally substituted alkyl, aralkyl or aryl, OH, NH2, NHR3, NR3R4 and SR5, where R3, R4 and R5 are each optionally substituted alkyl, aralkyl or aryl groups;
• B is selected from OH, NH2, NHR6, SH, hydrogen and halogen, where R6 is an optionally substituted alkyl, aralkyl or aryl group;
• D is selected from OH, NH2, NHR7, hydrogen, halogen and SCH3, where R7 is an optionally substituted alkyl, aralkyl or aryl group;
• and
• E is selected from N and CH;
• including reacting a compound of the formula (III)
• wherein:
• V is selected from CH2 and NH, and W is NH;
• or
• V is NH, and W is selected from CH2 and NH;
• X is selected from CH2 and CHOH in the R or S-configuration, except where W is NH, then X is CH2;
• Y is selected from hydrogen, halogen and hydroxy, except where V is selected from NH, then Y is hydrogen;
• and
• Z is selected from hydrogen, halogen, hydroxy, a sulfonate leaving group, SQ, OQ and Q, where Q is an optionally substituted alkyl, aralkyl or aryl group;
• with a compound of the formula (IV)
• wherein A, B, D, and E are as defined above;
• and with formaldehyde or a formaldehyde equivalent.