Oligonucleotide Analogs with Dimethylenesulfide, -sulfoxide, and -sulfone Groups Replacing Phosphodiester Linkages

As demonstrated by this volume, analogs of oligonucleotides retaining the molecular recognition properties of natural oligonucleotides, but having altered physical, chemical, and biological properties are synthetic targets of some interest. Much of the interest comes from the possibility that such analogs might allow the sequence-specific control of the expression of encoded genetic information in vivo using what has come to be known as the “antisense” strategy (1 –5 ).