Use of a 1-hydroxybenzotriazole activated phosphorylating reagent towards the synthesis of short RNA fragments in solution

Evidence will be presented to show that the reagents 3a-c (X = O) obtained by the reaction of 2-chlorophenylphosphorodichloridate with 1-hydroxybenzotriazole or 1-hydroxy-6-trifluoromethyl (6-nitro) benzotriazoles, respectively, do not give, under normal coupling conditions, phosphorylation of the lactam functions in uracil or guanine. Reagent 3b (X = O) proved to be very convenient for the in situ formation of 3'-5'-phosphotriester linkage. The latter will be illustrated by the synthesis of several RNA fragments.