The polyhalogenated benzimidazole nucleosides 2, 5, 6-trichloro-1-(β-d-ribofuranosyl) benzimidazole (TCRB) and the 2-bromo analogue (BDCRB) were synthesized in our laboratory and established as potent and selective antiviral agents against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) with a novel mode of action. In an effort to study the behavior of the key substructure of these analogues in a dimensionally stretched-out manner and probe ...