Oculoselective drugs and prodrugs

A compound of Formula II:

• wherein:
• R1 and R2 are each independently H, W, or a phenoxyl protecting group;
• R3 is hydrogen, straight chain or branched C1-C10 alkyl, cycloalkyl, amino, or C1-C10 alkoxy;
• R4 is H or W;
• Z is —O— or —O(C═O)—;
• R5 is tetrahydrofuranyl;
• W is:
• each R6 is independently H, straight chain or branched C1-C10 alkyl, or straight chain or branched C1-C10 alkoxyalkyl;
• and
• R7 is straight chain or branched alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, or aralkyl;
• provided that:
• when Z is —O(C═O)—, then R5 is other than H;
• or a stereoisomer or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

A process for producing a compound of formula IIIa:

• wherein:
• R1 and R2 are each independently H, W, or a phenoxyl protecting group;
• R3 is hydrogen, straight chain or branched C1-C10 alkyl, cycloalkyl, amino, or C1-C10 alkoxy,
• R4is H or W, provided that at least one of R1, R2, and R4 is W;
• and
• Z is —O—, —O(C═O)—, or —NH(C═O)—;
• R5 is tetrahydrofuranyl,
• W is:
• each R6 is independently H, straight chain or branched C1-C10 alkyl, or straight chain or branched C1-C10 alkoxyalkyl;
• and
• R7 is alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, or aralkyl;
• provided that:
• when Z is —O(C═O)—, then R5 is other than H;
• and
• when Z is —NH(C═O)—, then R5 is other than H, and W is:
• comprising contacting a compound of the formula:
• wherein:
• at least one of R1, R2, and R4 is H;
• with at least one compound of formula W−L, wherein each L is independently a leaving group;
• to produce a compound of formula IIIa.