The attempted synthesis of a ring-expanded guanosine (1) containing the imidazo [4, 5-e][1, 3] diazepine ring system by condensation of 1-(2′-deoxy-β-D-erythropentofuranosyl)-4- ethoxycarbonylimidazole-5-carbaldehyde (2) with guanidine resulted in the formation of an unexpected product, 1-(2′-deoxy-β-D-erythropentofuranosyl)-5-(2, 4-diamino-3, 6-dihydro- 1, 3, 5-triazin-6-yl) imidazole-4-carboxamide (7). The structure as well as the pathway of ...