Abstract Heating of 6-(benzylamino)-2-chloro-9-deazapurine (3) with ethanolamine afforded 6-(benzylamino)-2-[(2-hydroxyethyl) amino]-9-deazapurine (8). Its treatment with formaldehyde in alkaline solution, after protection of the OH group with DMTr, led to hydroxymethylation at position 9. Conversion of the hydroxymethyl group to methyl was performed by catalytic hydrogenation under simultaneous deprotection, which resulted in ...