Synthesis of phosphonate and phostone analogues of ribose-1-phosphates

The synthesis of phosphonate analogues of ribose-1-phosphate and 5-fluoro-5-deoxyribose-1-phosphate is described. Preparations of both the α- and β-phosphonate anomers are reported for the ribose and 5-fluoro-5-deoxyribose series and a synthesis of the corresponding cyclic phostones of each α-ribose is also reported. These compounds have been prepared as tools to probe the details of fluorometabolism in S. cattleya.