Acyclic, Carbocyclic and L-Nucleosides

Since the early 1980's, nucleoside analogues have been the cornerstone of antiviral chemotherapy. The prevalence of Herpes, Hepatitis B & C and HIV infections will ensure that these compounds remain important agents in antiviral chemotherapy. The success of the early agents, such as acyclovir, and the toxicity and metabolic instability of many nucleoside analogues, is driving the design, synthesis and evaluation of new nucleoside analogues, with much attention turning to nucleosides containing non-natural sugar analogues. This book focuses on the development of these non-natural sugar containing agents, and covers their design, synthesis and important antiviral properties along with comparisons to the related normal nucleosides. The authors' critical evaluation of the current state of research gives a true perspective of the utility of these classes of compounds.