Abstract The total synthesis of 6-amino-1, 2, 3-triazolo [4, 5-c] pyridin-4 (5H) one (8-aza-3- deazaguanine, 3) and 6-amino-1-(β-D-ribofuranosyl)-1, 2, 3-triazolo [4, 5-c] pyridin-4 (5H) one (8-aza-3-deazaguano-sine, 22) has been described for the first time by a novel base- catalyzed ring closure of 4 (5)-cyanomethyl-1, 2, 3-triazole-5 (4) carboxamide (14) and methyl 5-cyanomethyl-1-(2, 3, 5-tri-O-ben-zoyl-β-D-ribofuranosyl)-1, 2, 3-triazole-4- ...