Template-directed synthesis of acyclic oligonucleotide analogues

Bis-phosphoimidazolides of an analogue of adenosine (in which ribose is replaced by an acyclic chain) and of two related analogues of guanosine undergo oligomerization in the presence of complementary polynucleotide templates. Data on the template- and nontemplate-directed reactions are presented, and the possible relevance to origins of life is discussed.