text: unless defined otherwise , all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as is commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art . all patents , applications , published applications and other publications referenced herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety unless stated otherwise . in the event that there are a plurality of definitions for a term herein , those in this section prevail unless stated otherwise . as used herein , “ alkyl ” refers to a straight or branched hydrocarbon chain that comprises a fully saturated ( no double or triple bonds ) hydrocarbon group . the alkyl group may have 1 to 20 carbon atoms ( whenever it appears herein , a numerical range such as “ 1 to 20 ” refers to each integer in the given range ; e . g ., “ 1 to 20 carbon atoms ” means that the alkyl group may consist of 1 carbon atom , 2 carbon atoms , 3 carbon atoms , etc ., up to and including 20 carbon atoms , although the present definition also covers the occurrence of the term “ alkyl ” where no numerical range is designated ). the alkyl group may also be a medium size alkyl having 1 to 10 carbon atoms . the alkyl group could also be a lower alkyl having 1 to 6 carbon atoms . the alkyl group of the compounds may be designated as “ c 1 - c 4 alkyl ” or similar designations . by way of example only , “ c 1 - c 4 alkyl ” indicates that there are one to four carbon atoms in the alkyl chain , i . e ., the alkyl chain is selected from methyl , ethyl , propyl , iso - propyl , n - butyl , iso - butyl , sec - butyl , and t - butyl . typical alkyl groups include , but are in no way limited to , methyl , ethyl , propyl , isopropyl , butyl , isobutyl , tertiary butyl , pentyl , and hexyl . the alkyl group may be substituted or unsubstituted . as used herein , “ aryl ” refers to a carbocyclic ( all carbon ) monocyclic or multicyclic aromatic ring system ( including fused ring systems where two carbocyclic rings share a chemical bond ) that has a fully delocalized pi - electron system throughout all the rings . the number of carbon atoms in an aryl group can vary . for example , the aryl group can be a c 6 - c 14 aryl group , a c 6 - c 10 aryl group , or a c 6 aryl group . examples of aryl groups include , but are not limited to , benzene , naphthalene , and azulene . an aryl group may be substituted or unsubstituted . as used herein , “ amine ” refers to a compound of the formula nr a r b , wherein r a and r b are independently hydrogen , optionally substituted alkyl or an optionally substituted aryl . the term amine includes primary amines , secondary amines and tertiary amines . whenever a group is described as being “ optionally substituted ” that group may be unsubstituted or substituted with one or more of the indicated substituents . likewise , when a group is described as being “ unsubstituted or substituted ” if substituted , the substituent ( s ) may be selected from one or more the indicated substituents . if no substituents are indicated , it is meant that the indicated “ optionally substituted ” or “ substituted ” group may be substituted with one or more group ( s ) individually and independently selected from alkyl , alkenyl , alkynyl , cycloalkyl , cycloalkenyl , cycloalkynyl , aryl , heteroaryl , heteroalicyclyl , aralkyl , heteroaralkyl , ( heteroalicyclyl ) alkyl , hydroxy , protected hydroxyl , alkoxy , aryloxy , acyl , mercapto , alkylthio , arylthio , cyano , halogen , thiocarbonyl , o - carbamyl , n - carbamyl , o - thiocarbamyl , n - thiocarbamyl , c - amido , n - amido , s - sulfonamido , n - sulfonamido , c - carboxy , protected c - carboxy , o - carboxy , isocyanato , thiocyanato , isothiocyanato , nitro , silyl , sulfenyl , sulfinyl , sulfonyl , haloalkyl , haloalkoxy , trihalomethanesulfonyl , trihalomethanesulfonamido , an amino , a mono - substituted amino group and a di - substituted amino group , and protected derivatives thereof . the terms “ protecting group ” and “ protecting groups ” as used herein refer to any atom or group of atoms that is added to a molecule in order to prevent existing groups in the molecule from undergoing unwanted chemical reactions . examples of protecting group moieties are described in t . w . greene and p . g . m . wuts , protective groups in organic synthesis , 3 . ed . john wiley & amp ; sons , 1999 , and in j . f . w . mcomie , protective groups in organic chemistry plenum press , 1973 , both of which are hereby incorporated by reference for the limited purpose of disclosing suitable protecting groups . the protecting group moiety may be chosen in such a way , that they are stable to certain reaction conditions and readily removed at a convenient stage using methodology known from the art . a non - limiting list of protecting groups include benzyl ; substituted benzyl ; alkylcarbonyls and alkoxycarbonyls ( e . g ., t - butoxycarbonyl ( boc ), acetyl , or isobutyryl ); arylalkylcarbonyls and arylalkoxycarbonyls ( e . g ., benzyloxycarbonyl ); substituted methyl ether ( e . g . methoxymethyl ether ); substituted ethyl ether ; a substituted benzyl ether ; tetrahydropyranyl ether ; silyls ( e . g ., trimethylsilyl , triethylsilyl , triisopropylsilyl , t - butyldimethylsilyl , tri - iso - propylsilyloxymethyl , [ 2 -( trimethylsilyl ) ethoxy ] methyl or t - butyldiphenylsilyl ); esters ( e . g ., benzoate ester ); carbonates ( e . g ., methoxymethylcarbonate ); sulfonates ( e . g ., tosylate or mesylate ); acyclic ketal ( e . g ., dimethyl acetal ); cyclic ketals ( e . g ., 1 , 3 - dioxane , 1 , 3 - dioxolanes , and those described herein ); acyclic acetal ; cyclic acetal ( e . g ., those described herein ); acyclic hemiacetal ; cyclic hemiacetal ; cyclic dithioketals ( e . g ., 1 , 3 - dithiane or 1 , 3 - dithiolane ); orthoesters ( e . g ., those described herein ) and triarylmethyl groups ( e . g ., trityl ; monomethoxytrityl ( mmtr ); 4 , 4 ′- dimethoxytrityl ( dmtr ); 4 , 4 ′, 4 ″- trimethoxytrityl ( tmtr ); and those described herein ). the term “ pharmaceutically acceptable salt ” refers to a salt of a compound that does not cause significant irritation to an organism to which it is administered and does not abrogate the biological activity and properties of the compound . in some embodiments , the salt is an acid addition salt of the compound . pharmaceutical salts can be obtained by reacting a compound with inorganic acids such as hydrohalic acid ( e . g ., hydrochloric acid or hydrobromic acid ), sulfuric acid , nitric acid , and phosphoric acid . pharmaceutical salts can also be obtained by reacting a compound with an organic acid such as aliphatic or aromatic carboxylic or sulfonic acids , for example formic , acetic , succinic , lactic , malic , tartaric , citric , ascorbic , nicotinic , methanesulfonic , ethanesulfonic , p - toluensulfonic , salicylic or naphthalenesulfonic acid . pharmaceutical salts can also be obtained by reacting a compound with a base to form a salt such as an ammonium salt , an alkali metal salt , such as a sodium or a potassium salt , an alkaline earth metal salt , such as a calcium or a magnesium salt , a salt of organic bases such as dicyclohexylamine , n - methyl - d - glucamine , tris ( hydroxymethyl ) methylamine , c 1 - c 7 alkylamine , cyclohexylamine , triethanolamine , ethylenediamine , and salts with amino acids such as arginine and lysine . terms and phrases used in this application , and variations thereof , especially in the appended claims , unless otherwise expressly stated , should be construed as open ended as opposed to limiting . as examples of the foregoing , the term ‘ including ’ should be read to mean ‘ including , without limitation ,’ including but not limited to ,&# 39 ; or the like ; the term ‘ comprising ’ as used herein is synonymous with ‘ including ,’ containing ,&# 39 ; or ‘ characterized by ,’ and is inclusive or open - ended and does not exclude additional , unrecited elements or method steps ; the term ‘ having ’ should be interpreted as ‘ having at least ;’ the term ‘ includes ’ should be interpreted as ‘ includes but is not limited to ;’ the term ‘ example ’ is used to provide exemplary instances of the item in discussion , not an exhaustive or limiting list thereof ; and use of terms like ‘ preferably ,’ ‘ preferred ,’ ‘ desired ,’ or ‘ desirable ,’ and words of similar meaning should not be understood as implying that certain features are critical , essential , or even important to the structure or function of the invention , but instead as merely intended to highlight alternative or additional features that may or may not be utilized in a particular embodiment of the invention . in addition , the term “ comprising ” is to be interpreted synonymously with the phrases “ having at least ” or “ including at least ”. when used in the context of a process , the term “ comprising ” means that the process includes at least the recited steps , but may include additional steps . when used in the context of a compound , composition , or device , the term “ comprising ” means that the compound , composition , or device includes at least the recited features or components , but may also include additional features or components . likewise , a group of items linked with the conjunction ‘ and ’ should not be read as requiring that each and every one of those items be present in the grouping , but rather should be read as ‘ and / or ’ unless expressly stated otherwise . similarly , a group of items linked with the conjunction ‘ or ’ should not be read as requiring mutual exclusivity among that group , but rather should be read as ‘ and / or ’ unless expressly stated otherwise . with respect to the use of substantially any plural and / or singular terms herein , those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and / or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context and / or application . the various singular / plural permutations may be expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity . the indefinite article “ a ” or “ an ” does not exclude a plurality . the mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage . any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope . it is understood that , in any compound described herein having one or more chiral centers , if an absolute stereochemistry is not expressly indicated , then each center may independently be of r - configuration or s - configuration or a mixture thereof . thus , the compounds provided herein may be enantiomerically pure , enantiomerically enriched , racemic mixture , diastereomerically pure , diastereomerically enriched , or a stereoisomeric mixture . in addition it is understood that , in any compound described herein having one or more double bond ( s ) generating geometrical isomers that can be defined as e or z , each double bond may independently be e or z a mixture thereof likewise , it is understood that , in any compound described , all tautomeric forms are also intended to be included . for example all tautomers of a phosphate and a phosphorothioate groups are intended to be included . examples of tautomers of a phosphorothioate include the following : furthermore , all tautomers of heterocyclic bases known in the art are intended to be included , including tautomers of natural and non - natural purine - bases and pyrimidine - bases . it is to be understood that where compounds disclosed herein have unfilled valencies , then the valencies are to be filled with hydrogens or isotopes thereof , e . g ., hydrogen - 1 ( protium ) and hydrogen - 2 ( deuterium ). it is understood that the compounds described herein can be labeled isotopically . substitution with isotopes such as deuterium may afford certain therapeutic advantages resulting from greater metabolic stability , such as , for example , increased in vivo half - life or reduced dosage requirements . each chemical element as represented in a compound structure may include any isotope of said element . for example , in a compound structure a hydrogen atom may be explicitly disclosed or understood to be present in the compound . at any position of the compound that a hydrogen atom may be present , the hydrogen atom can be any isotope of hydrogen , including but not limited to hydrogen - 1 ( protium ) and hydrogen - 2 ( deuterium ). thus , reference herein to a compound encompasses all potential isotopic forms unless the context clearly dictates otherwise . it is understood that the methods and combinations described herein include crystalline forms ( also known as polymorphs , which include the different crystal packing arrangements of the same elemental composition of a compound ), amorphous phases , salts , solvates , and hydrates . in some embodiments , the compounds described herein exist in solvated forms with pharmaceutically acceptable solvents such as water , ethanol , or the like . in other embodiments , the compounds described herein exist in unsolvated form . solvates contain either stoichiometric or non - stoichiometric amounts of a solvent , and may be formed during the process of crystallization with pharmaceutically acceptable solvents such as water , ethanol , or the like . hydrates are formed when the solvent is water , or alcoholates are formed when the solvent is alcohol . in addition , the compounds provided herein can exist in unsolvated as well as solvated forms . in general , the solvated forms are considered equivalent to the unsolvated forms for the purposes of the compounds and methods provided herein . where a range of values is provided , it is understood that the upper and lower limit , and each intervening value between the upper and lower limit of the range is encompassed within the embodiments . some embodiments disclosed herein relate to a method of preparing a compound of formula ( i ), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof : in some embodiments , a method of preparing a compound of formula ( i ) can include coupling a compound of formula ( a ) and a compound of formula ( b ), wherein the — oh groups and — nh group of the compound of formula ( a ) are unprotected during the coupling reaction : in some embodiments , a compound of formula ( i ) can be obtained as a single diastereomer . in other embodiments , a compound of formula ( i ) can be obtained as a mixture of diastereomers , for example in some embodiments , a compound of formula ( i ) can be a 1 : 1 mixture of two diastereomers , such as those described herein ( for example , a compound of formula ( i )( i ) and a compound of formula ( i )( ii )). in some embodiments , a compound of formula ( i ) can be diastereomerically enriched ( for example , one diastereomer can be present at an amount of & gt ; 55 % ( eq . ), ≧ 75 % ( eq . ), ≧ 80 % ( eq . ), ≧ 90 % ( eq . ), ≧ 95 % ( eq . ), ≧ 98 % ( eq . ), or ≧ 99 % ( eq .) in the mixture as compared to any other diastereomers present . in some embodiments , a compound of formula ( i ) can be diastereomerically enriched in a compound of formula ( i )( i ). in others embodiments , a compound of formula ( i ) can be diastereomerically enriched in a compound of formula ( i )( ii ), e . g ., & gt ; 55 % ( eq . ), ≧ 75 % ( eq . ), ≧ 80 % ( eq . ), ≧ 90 % ( eq . ), ≧ 95 % ( eq . ), ≧ 98 % ( eq . ), or ≧ 99 % ( eq .). in some embodiments , neutralizing the charge on the thiophosphate group may facilitate the penetration of the cell membrane by a compound of formula ( i ), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof ( including compound of formula ( i )( i ) and formula ( i )( ii ), or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt of the aforementioned ) by making the compound more lipophilic compared to a thionucleotide having a comparable structure with one or more charges present on the thiophosphate . once absorbed and taken inside the cell , the groups attached to the thiophosphate can be easily removed by esterases , proteases , or other enzymes . in some embodiments , the groups attached to the thiophosphate can be removed by simple hydrolysis . inside the cell , the thio - monophosphate thus released may then be metabolized by cellular enzymes to the thio - diphosphate or the active thio - triphosphate . in some embodiments , the phosphorylation of a thio - monophosphate of a compound of formula ( i ), or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , can be stereoselective . for example , a thio - monophosphate of a compound of formula ( i ) ( including a compound of formula ( i )( i ) and a compound of formula ( i )( ii )) can be phosphorylated to give an alpha - thiodiphosphate and / or an alpha - thiotriphosphate compound that can be enriched in the ( r ) or ( s ) diastereomer with respect to the 5 ′- o - phosphorous atom . for example , one of the ( r ) and ( s ) configuration with respect to the 5 ′- o - phosphorous atom of the alpha - thiodiphosphate and / or the alpha - thiotriphosphate compound can be present in an amount & gt ; 50 %, ≧ 75 %, ≧ 90 %, ≧ 95 % or ≧ 99 % compared to the amount of the other of the ( r ) or ( 5 ) configuration with respect to the 5 ′- o - phosphorous atom . in some embodiments , phosphorylation of a compound of formula ( i ), or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , can result in the formation of a compound that has the ( r )- configuration at the 5 ′- o - phosphorous atom . in some embodiments , phosphorylation of a compound of formula ( i ), or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof , can result in formation of a compound that has the ( s )- configuration at the 5 ′- o - phosphorous atom . general synthetic routes to prepare the compound of formula ( i ), and some examples of starting materials used to synthesize the compounds of formula ( i ) are shown in scheme 1 , and described herein . the routes shown and described herein are illustrative only and are not intended , nor are they to be construed , to limit the scope of the claims in any manner whatsoever . those skilled in the art will be able to recognize modifications of the disclosed syntheses and to devise alternate routes based on the disclosures herein ; all such modifications and alternate routes are within the scope of the claims . one method for forming a compound of formula ( i ) is shown in scheme 1 . a variety of methods can be used in the reaction between a compound of formula ( a ) and a compound of formula ( b ). in some embodiments , a compound of formula ( a ) can be coupled to a compound of formula ( b ) using a base , an acid or a grignard reagent . in some embodiments , to facilitate the coupling , a grignard reagent can be used . suitable grignard reagents are known to those skilled in the art and include , but are not limited to , alkylmagnesium chlorides and alkylmagnesium bromides . in some embodiments , the grignard reagent can have the general formula of r c — mgbr or r c — mgcl , wherein r c can be an optionally substituted alkyl or an optionally substituted aryl . in some embodiments , a reaction between a compound of formula ( a ) and a compound of formula ( b ) can be conducted in the presence of a base . for example , a compound of formula ( b ) can be added to a mixture of a compound of formula ( a ) and a base . examples of bases include , but are not limited to , an optionally substituted amine base , such as an alkylamine ( including mono -, di - and tri - alkylamines ( for example , monoethylamine , diethylamine and triethylamine )), optionally substituted pyridines ( such as collidine ) and optionally substituted imidazoles ( for example , n - methylimidazole )). in some embodiments , a reaction between a compound of formula ( a ) and a compound of formula ( b ) can be conducted in the presence of n - methylimidazole . in some embodiments , a reaction between a compound of formula ( a ) and a compound of formula ( b ) can be conducted in the presence of an acid . example of a suitable acid is trifluoromethanesulfonic acid . a grignard reagent can react with a compound of formula ( a ) to form an alkoxide at the 5 ′- position of a compound of formula ( a ). the alkoxide attached to the 5 ′- position of a compound of formula ( a ) can react with a compound of formula ( b ) to form a compound of formula ( i ). a base , such as n - methyl imidazole ( nmi ), can displace the chloride of a compound of formula ( b ) to form an intermediate . this intermediate can react with a compound of formula ( a ) to form a compound of formula ( i ), wherein the same base or a different base can assist in the reaction through the removal of the hydrogen of the hydroxy group attached to the 5 ′- position of the compound of formula ( a ). when the base is nmi , a compound of formula ( c ) can be formed , wherein the counterion is a chloride anion . the amount of base used for the reaction between a compound of formula ( a ) and a compound of formula ( b ) can be varied . in some embodiments , the amount of a base can be present in more than a catalytic amount . in some embodiments , the amount of a base can be ≧ 3 equivalent compared to the amount of a compound of formula ( b ) (≧ 3 eq . : 1 eg . of base : a compound of formula ( b )). in some embodiments , the amount of a base can be in the range of about 2 equivalents to about 5 equivalents to the amount of a compound of formula ( b ) (≧ 2 - 5 eq . : 1 eg . of base : a compound of formula ( b )). in some embodiments , the amount of a base can be about 3 equivalents to the amount of a compound of formula ( b ) (≧ 3 eq . : 1 eg . of base : a compound of formula ( b )). in some embodiments , the amount of a base and the amount of a compound of formula ( b ) can be approximately the same ( 1 eq . : 1 eq . of base : a compound of formula ( b )). when the amount of a base is in excess compared to the amount of a compound of the formula ( b ), the base can facilitate the reaction by removing hydrogen chloride generated in the reaction . in some embodiments , the reaction between a compound of formula ( b ) and a base can provide a diastereomeric mixture of a compound of formula ( c )( i ) and a compound of formula ( c )( ii ). in some embodiments , the reaction between a compound of formula ( b ) and a base can provide a compound of formula ( c ) that can be enriched in one diastereomer , for example , the ( s )- diastereomer with respect to the phosphorous ( compound c ( ii )). in some embodiments , a reaction between a compound of formula ( b ) and a base ( such as nmi ) as described herein can provide a compound of formula ( c ) that can be ≧ 60 %, ≧ 75 %, ≧ 90 % enriched in the ( s )- diastereomer with respect to the phosphorous . in some embodiments , a reaction between a compound of formula ( b ) and a base ( such as nmi ) as described herein can provide a diastereomeric mixture with a diastereomeric ratio of 2 or more : 1 of a compound of formula ( c )( ii ) to a compound of formula ( c )( i ) ( a compound of formula ( c )( ii ): a compound of formula ( c )( i )). in other embodiments , the reaction between a compound of formula ( b ) and a base can provide a compound of formula ( c ) that can be enriched in the ( r )- diastereomer with respect to the phosphorous ( compound c ( i )). in other embodiments , a reaction between a compound of formula ( b ) and a base ( such as nmi ) as described herein can provide a compound of formula ( c ) that can be ≧ 60 %, ≧ 75 %, ≧ 90 % enriched in the ( r )- diastereomer with respect to the phosphorous . in other embodiments , a reaction between a compound of formula ( b ) and a base ( such as nmi ) as described herein can provide a diastereomeric mixture with a diastereomeric ratio of 2 or more : 1 of a compound of formula ( c )( i ) to a compound of formula ( c )( ii ) ( a compound of formula ( c )( i ): a compound of formula ( c )( ii )). various methods and reagents can be used to prepare a compound of formula ( b ). one suitable method is shown in scheme 3 . as shown in scheme 3 , o - phenylphosphorodichloridothioate can be reacted with ( s )- isopropyl 2 - aminopropanote . in some embodiments , the ( s )- isopropyl 2 - aminopropanote can be in free base form . in other embodiments , ( s )- isopropyl 2 - aminopropanote can be a salt form . in some embodiments , the ( s )- isopropyl 2 - aminopropanote salt can be a hcl salt . in other embodiments , ( s )- isopropyl 2 - aminopropanote can be a methanesulfonic acid salt . methods for preparing a compound of formula ( b ) can also include the use of a base , such as those described herein . in some embodiments , the base can be triethylamine . additionally , the reaction can take place in a solvent . suitable solvents include , but are not limited to , non - polar solvents . examples of non - polar solvents include the following : hexane , benzene , toluene , 1 , 4 - dioxane , chloroform , dichloromethane and diethyl ether . an advantage of the synthesis shown in scheme 1 is that it is not necessary to protect one more hydroxy groups ( such as the hydroxy groups attached to the 2 ′- position and the 3 ′- position of the pentose ring ) and / or one or more amine groups ( for example , on the uracil ) of the compound of formula ( a ) prior to coupling to the compound of formula ( b ). protecting groups , for example , protecting groups on the oxygens at the 2 ′- position and / or 3 ′- position of the pentose ring , and / or on the amine of the uracil , can be used to minimize the formation of undesirable amounts of side reaction byproduct ( s ). however , use of protecting groups increases the number of steps in the formation of the desired product and can decrease the overall yield of the desired product . the synthesis shown in scheme 1 can result in a higher yield of the desired product and / or fewer reaction steps , as protection and deprotection steps are not included . the ratio of a compound of formula ( a ) to a compound of formula ( b ) can be varied . in some embodiments , the amount of a compound of formula ( b ) can be present in excess compared to the compound of formula ( a ), e . g ., 1 . 15 eq . or greater ( or , alternatively , a molar ratio of formula ( a ) to formula ( b ) of 1 . 0 : ( 1 . 15 or greater )). in some embodiments , even higher excesses of the compound of formula ( b ) are employed , e . g ., 1 . 2 , 1 . 3 , 1 . 4 , 1 . 5 , 1 . 6 , 1 . 7 , 1 . 8 , 1 . 9 , or 2 . 0 or more eq . relative to formula ( a ). in some embodiments , the equivalents of compound of formula ( b ) relative to the equivalents to formula ( a ) can be in the range of 1 . 0 eq . : 1 . 0 eq . to 2 . 0 eq . : 1 . 0 eq . ( for example in the range of 1 . 3 eq . : 1 . 0 eq . to 1 . 6 eq . : 1 . 0 eq .). in some embodiments , the amount of a compound of formula ( a ) can be present in excess compared to the compound of formula ( b ), e . g ., 1 . 15 eq . or greater . in some embodiments , even higher excesses of the compound of formula ( a ) can be employed , e . g ., 1 . 2 , 1 . 3 , 1 . 4 , 1 . 5 , 1 . 6 , 1 . 7 , 1 . 8 , 1 . 9 , or 2 . 0 or more eq . in some embodiments , the higher excess of a compound of formula ( b ) can improve the selective formation of the compound of formula ( i )( ii ) compared to the compound of formula ( wo . the reaction between a compound of formula ( a ) and a compound of formula ( b ) can be conducted in one solvent or a mixture of two or more solvents . in some embodiments , the reaction between a compound of formula ( a ) and a compound of formula ( b ) can be conducted using a polar aprotic solvent . examples of polar aprotic solvents include , but are not limited to , dimethylformamide , tetrahydrofuran , ethyl acetate , acetone , acetonitrile , dimethyl sulfoxide or methyl isobutyl ketone ). in some embodiments , the solvent can be acetonitrile ( acn ). in some embodiments , the solvent can be methyl isobutyl ketone ( mibk ). in some embodiments , a compound of formula ( i ) can be partitioned between an organic phase ( e . g ., an acetate , such as ethyl acetate or isopropylacetate , dichloromethane , methyl tert - butyl ether ( mtbe ), combinations thereof , or other suitable solvents or solvent mixtures ) and an aqueous phase ( e . g ., an acidic solution such as a hydrochloric acid solution ). the organic phase can be concentrated , and a suitable solvent can be added , e . g ., mtbe , sequentially any number of times ( e . g ., 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , or 5 or more times ). in some embodiments , a method described herein can further include : ( i ) combining a compound of formula ( i ) and isopropylacetate ; ( ii ) conducting a first crystallization that can include tert - butyl methyl ether ; and ( iii ) optionally , conducting a second crystallization that can include tert - butyl methyl ether . in other embodiments , a method described herein can further include : ( i ) conducting a first crystallization that can include tert - butyl methyl ether ; and ( ii ) optionally , a second recrystallization using a solvent that can include tert - butyl methyl ether . in still other embodiments , a method described herein can further include : ( i ) combining a compound of formula ( i ) and ethyl acetate ; ( ii ) conducting a first crystallization that can include tert - butyl methyl ether ; and ( iii ) optionally , conducting a second crystallization that can include tert - butyl methyl ether . in some embodiments described herein , including those of this paragraph , a method can further include the use of seed crystals of the compound of formula ( i )( ii ) to assist in crystallization ( for example , during at least one of the first crystallization and the second crystallization ). in some embodiments , a method described herein can include ( i ) combining ethyl acetate and a compound of formula ( i ); and ( ii ) conducting a crystallization that can include mtbe and seed crystals of a compound of formula ( i )( ii ). in some embodiments described herein , including those of the previous paragraph , a method can further include heating and then cooling ( such as during a crystallization , including , at least one of the first crystallization and the second crystallization ). the heating can take place at any suitable temperature , for example , a temperature suitable to dissolve a compound of formula ( i ) in the solvent ( s ). the heating can also take place for an appropriate time . in some embodiments , the heating can take place at a temperature in the range of between about 30 ° c . to about 60 ° c . ( for example , about 30 ° c . or about 50 ° c .). in some embodiments , the heating can take place for a time in the range of about 1 hour to about 6 hours . likewise , the cooling can taking place for an appropriate time and at a temperature sufficient to allow either the desired compound or one or more impurities to fall out of the solvent ( s ). in some embodiments , including those of this and the previous paragraph , the cooling can takes place at a temperature in the range of between about − 5 ° c . to about 10 ° c . ( such as about 0 ° c .). in some embodiments , the cooling can takes place for a time in the range of about 1 hour to about 3 hours . in some embodiments , when the method includes multiple crystallizations , the mixture can be filtered between one or more of the crystallizations . in some embodiments , the organic phase can be in an amount in the range of about 10 ml to about 1000 ml . in some embodiments , the organic phase can be in an amount in the range of about 20 ml to about 40 ml . in other embodiments , the organic phase can be in an amount in the range of about 100 ml to about 800 ml . in some embodiments , the solvent for crystallization ( for example , mtbe ) can be in an amount in the range of about 30 ml to about 750 ml . in some embodiments , the solvent for crystallization ( for example , mtbe ) can be in an amount in the range of about 50 ml to about 150 ml . in other embodiments , the solvent for crystallization ( for example , mtbe ) can be in an amount in the range of about 400 ml to about 600 ml . in other embodiments , the suitable solvent for dissolving the residue ( for example , mtbe ) can be in an amount of about 500 ml . the diastereomeric ratio of a compound of formula ( i )( i ) to a compound of formula ( i )( ii ) obtained from a method described herein can vary . in some embodiments , a method described herein can provide a diastereomeric mixture with a diastereomeric ratio of 1 : 1 of a compound of formula ( i )( ii ) to a compound of formula ( i )( i ) ( a compound of formula ( i )( ii ): a compound of formula ( i )( i )). in other embodiments , a method described herein can provide a mixture of a compound of formula ( i )( i ) and a compound of formula ( i )( ii ) that is diastereomerically enriched in the compound of formula ( i )( ii ). in some embodiments , a method described herein can provide a diastereomeric mixture of a compound of formula ( i )( i ) and a compound of formula ( i )( ii ) that is a diastereomeric mixture with a diastereomeric ratio of 1 . 5 or more : 1 of a compound of formula ( i )( ii ) to a compound of formula ( i )( i ) ( a compound of formula ( i )( ii ): a compound of formula ( i )( i )). in some embodiments , a method described herein can provide a diastereomeric mixture with a diastereomeric ratio of 1 . 7 or more : 1 of a compound of formula ( i )( ii ) to a compound of formula ( i )( i ) ( a compound of formula ( i )( ii ): a compound of formula ( i )( i )). in some embodiments , a method described herein can provide a diastereomeric mixture of a compound of formula ( i )( i ) and a compound of formula ( i )( ii ) that a diastereomeric mixture with a diastereomeric ratio of 2 . 0 or more : 1 of a compound of formula ( i )( ii ) to a compound of formula ( i )( i ) ( a compound of formula ( i )( ii ): a compound of formula ( i )( i )). in some embodiments , a method described herein can provide a diastereomeric mixture of a compound of formula ( i )( i ) and a compound of formula ( i )( ii ) that is a diastereomeric mixture with a diastereomeric ratio of 2 . 1 or more : 1 of a compound of formula ( i )( ii ) to a compound of formula ( i )( i ) ( a compound of formula ( i )( ii ): a compound of formula ( i )( i )). in other embodiments , a method described herein can provide a mixture of a compound of formula ( i )( i ) and a compound of formula ( i )( ii ) that is diastereomerically enriched in the compound of formula ( i )( i ). in some embodiments , a method described herein can provide a diastereomeric mixture with a diastereomeric ratio of a compound of formula ( i )( i ) and a compound of formula ( i )( ii ) that is 1 : 1 . 5 or more , 1 : 1 . 7 or more or 1 : 2 . 0 or more of a compound of formula ( i )( ii ) to a compound of formula ( i )( i ) ( a compound of formula ( i )( ii ) to a compound of formula ( i )( i )). in some embodiments , a method described herein , including those described previously , can result in a mixture wherein the obtained compound of formula ( i )( ii ) can be diastereomerically enriched by & gt ; 90 % ( eq . of the compound of formula ( i )( ii )/( total eq . of the compound formula ( i )( i )+ total eq . of the compound of formula ( i )( ii )). in some embodiments , a method described herein , including those described previously , can result in a mixture wherein the obtained compound of formula ( i )( ii ) can be diastereomerically enriched by & gt ; 95 % ( eq . of the compound of formula ( i )( ii )/( total eq . of the compound formula ( i )( i )+ total eq . of the compound of formula ( i )( ii )). in some embodiments , a method described herein , including those described previously , can result in a mixture wherein the obtained compound of formula ( i )( ii ) can be diastereomerically enriched by & gt ; 98 % ( eq . of the compound of formula ( i )( ii )/( total eq . of the compound formula ( i )( i )+ total eq . of the compound of formula ( i )( ii )). in some embodiments , a method described herein , including those described previously , can result in a mixture wherein the obtained compound of formula ( i )( ii ) can be diastereomerically enriched by & gt ; 99 % ( eq . of the compound of formula ( i )( ii )/( total eq . of the compound formula ( i )( i )+ total eq . of the compound of formula ( i )( ii )). one advantage of using a method described herein is that a compound of formula ( i ) can be purified to obtain a compound of formula ( i )( ii ) and / or a compound of formula ( i )( i ) without the use of silica gel , and / or without having to switch solvent ( s ) in a second crystallization step . thus , the overall yield of a compound of formula ( i )( ii ) and / or a compound of formula ( i )( i ) can be increased compared to a method that uses silica gel and / or a different solvent ( s ) in a second crystallization step . the crystallization procedure can be also scaled - up as desired for the production of larger amounts of product ( such as a compound of formula ( i )( ii )). when the compound of formula ( i ) is obtained as a mixture of diastereomers of a compound of formula ( i )( i ) and a compound of formula ( i )( ii ), the diastereomers can be separated using methods know to those skilled the art . in some embodiments , a portion of the compound of formula ( i )( i ) can be separated from the diastereomeric mixture of a compound of formula ( i )( i ) and a compound of formula ( i )( ii ) by supercritical fluid chromatography . in other embodiments , a portion of the compound of formula ( i )( i ) can be separated from the diastereomeric mixture of a compound of formula ( i )( i ) and a compound of formula ( i )( ii ) by recrystallization . by separating a compound of formula ( i )( i ) and a compound of formula ( i )( ii ), the product can become diastereometrically enriched in one of the diastereomers , for example the product can become diastereometrically enriched in a compound of formula ( i )( ii ). in some embodiments , the compound of formula ( i ) can be separated into its diastereomers of a compound of formula ( i )( i ) and a compound of formula ( i )( ii ) using supercritical fluid chromatography ( sfc ) utilizing carbon dioxide in a liquid state as the mobile phase , wherein the compound of formula ( i ) can be dissolved in a suitable solvent , e . g ., methanol , ethanol , isopropanol , acetonitrile , or chloroform . in some embodiments , the solvent for a compound of formula ( i ) can be methanol . sfc separation methods are described in craig white and john burnett ( 13 may 2005 ), “ integration of supercritical fluid chromatography into drug discovery as a routine support tool : ii . investigation and evaluation of supercritical fluid chromatography for achiral batch purification ,” journal of chromatography a 1074 : 175 - 185 . in other embodiments , diastereomers of a compound of formula ( i ) ( such as a compound of formula ( i )( i ) and a compound of formula ( i )( ii )) can be separated via recrystallization . in a single solvent recrystallization , the diastereomeric mixture of formula ( i ) can be dissolved in an amount of solvent ( for example , the smallest amount of solvent ) necessary to fully dissolve the mixture , making a saturated solution . in some embodiments , the temperature of the solvent can be above room temperature . the solution can then be allowed to cool , resulting in one of the diastereomers recrystallizing from solution . the crystals comprising the desired diastereomer can be collected by filtration and the filtrate can be discarded . alternatively , the filtrate can be retained and evaporated to obtain the desired diastereomer . in a multi - solvent recrystallization , two or more solvents can be used , with a second solvent slowly being added to a first solvent containing the dissolved diastereomeric mixture . upon the addition of the second solvent , one of the diastereomers can crystallize from solution . in some embodiments , a portion of the compound of formula ( i )( i ) can be separated from the diastereomeric mixture of a compound of formula ( i )( i ) and a compound of formula ( i )( ii ) via recrystallization using a multi - solvent system that can include dichloromethane and / or ethyl acetate in combination with mtbe ; and optionally , seed crystals of a compound of formula ( i )( ii ). separation of the diastereomers of a compound of formula ( i ) can provide various ratios of a compound of formula ( i )( i ) and a compound of formula ( i )( ii ). in some embodiments , one or more of the separation techniques described herein can result in a mixture wherein the obtained compound of formula ( i ) is diastereomerically enriched in the compound of formula ( i )( ii ). in some embodiments , one or more of the separation techniques described herein can result in a mixture wherein the obtained compound of formula ( i )( ii ) can be diastereomerically enriched by & gt ; 95 % ( eq . of the compound of formula ( i )( ii )/( total eq . of the compound formula ( i )( i )+ total eq . of the compound of formula ( i )( ii )). in some embodiments , one or more of the separation techniques described herein can result in a mixture wherein the obtained compound of formula ( i )( ii ) can be diastereomerically enriched by & gt ; 98 % ( eq . of the compound of formula ( i )( ii )/( total eq . of the compound formula ( i )( i )+ total eq . of the compound of formula ( i )( ii )). in some embodiments , one or more of the separation techniques described herein can result in a mixture wherein the obtained compound of formula ( i )( ii ) can be diastereomerically enriched by & gt ; 99 % ( eq . of the compound of formula ( i )( ii )/( total eq . of the compound formula ( i )( i ) + total eq . of the compound of formula ( i )( ii )). in some embodiments , one or more of the separation techniques described herein can result in a mixture wherein the obtained compound of formula ( i ) is diastereomerically enriched in the compound of formula ( i )( i ). in some embodiments , one or more of the separation techniques described herein can result in a mixture wherein the obtained compound of formula ( i )( i ) can be diastereomerically enriched by & gt ; 90 % ( eq . of the compound of formula ( i )( i )/( total eq . of the compound formula ( i )( i )+ total eq . of the compound of formula ( i )( ii )). in some embodiments , one or more of the separation techniques described herein can result in a mixture wherein the obtained compound of formula ( i )( i ) can be diastereomerically enriched by & gt ; 98 % ( eq . of the compound of formula ( i )( i )/( total eq . of the compound formula ( i )( i )+ total eq . of the compound of formula ( i )( ii )). in some embodiments , one or more of the separation techniques described herein can result in a mixture wherein the obtained compound of formula ( i )( i ) can be diastereomerically enriched by & gt ; 99 % ( eq . of the compound of formula ( i )( i )/( total eq . of the compound formula ( i )( i )+ total eq . of the compound of formula ( i )( ii )). various methods are known to those skilled in the art for isolating the final compound ( for example , a compound of formula ( i )( ii )). in some embodiments , the final compound can be isolated by filtration . some embodiments described herein relate generally to a method of preparing a compound of formula ( b ) that can include reacting o - phenylphosphorodichloridothioate with ( s )- isopropyl 2 - aminopropanote methanesulfonic acid . if desired , a base can be used in the reaction that provides a compound of formula ( b ). various suitable bases are described herein ( for example , an amine base , an optionally substituted pyridine , or an optionally substituted imidazole ). in some embodiments , the base can be triethylamine . the reaction that provides a compound of formula ( b ) can be conducted in one or more solvents , or a mixture of solvents . in some embodiments , the solvent ( s ) can be non - polar solvent ( s ). examples of non - polar solvents include , but are not limited to , hexane , benzene , toluene , 1 , 4 - dioxane , chloroform , dichloromethane and diethyl ether . additional embodiments are disclosed in further detail in the following examples , which are not in any way intended to limit the scope of the claims . the compound 2 can be prepared according to the following reaction steps . a 30 l glass reactor equipped with a mechanical stirrer ( enamel ), thermometer , dropping funnel and cooling batch was charged under argon atmosphere with dichloromethane ( dcm ) ( 16 l ). phosphorothioyl trichloride ( 1 . 613 l , 15 . 56 mol ) was added under stirring , and the mixture cooled to − 74 ° c . in a 10 l flask under argon , phenol ( 1 . 509 kg , 16 . 03 mol ) was dissolved in dcm ( 2 . 8 l ). the solution was cooled to 10 ° c . triethylamine ( 2 . 200 l , 15 . 87 mol ) was added . the solution was then transferred to the dropping funnel and added to the reactor at a rate that kept the internal temperature below − 70 ° c . the resulting white suspension was stirred another 2 h at − 70 ° c ., then allowed to slowly warm to ambient temperature overnight . the suspension was transferred to a rotary evaporator and concentrated under vacuum (& lt ; 80 mbar , t bath = 45 ° c .). the concentrate was diluted with tert - butyl methyl ether ( mtbe ) ( 6 l ) and filtered over a glass - sinter nutsch filter to remove ammonium salts . the salts were washed with tbme ( 4 l ), and the filtrate was concentrated by rotary evaporation ( t bath = 45 ° c .). the oil was dried on the rotavap for 5 h ( t bath = 50 ° c ., p & lt ; 30 mbar ). crude compound 1 was obtained as a yellowish oil ( 3 . 442 kg ). the crude product was purified by distillation via a short path ( thin layer evaporator ) using the following conditions : vacuum : 0 . 5 mbar , cooling rod : − 15 ° c . and heating rod : + 85 ° c . purified compound 1 was obtained as a colorless liquid ( 2 . 75 kg ). step 2 : synthesis of the l - alanine isopropyl ester derived 1 - phenyloxychlorophosphothioate reagent ( 2 ) to a 30 l glass reactor equipped with a mechanical stirrer , thermometer , dropping funnel and cooling bath was added dichloromethane ( 10 l ) under argon . a solution of o - phenylphosphorodichloridothioate ( compound 1 , 1600 g , 7 . 047 mol ) dissolved in 2 l of dichloromethane was added . the resulting solution was cooled to − 74 ° c ., and triethylamine ( 2 . 002 l , 14 . 4 mol ) was added at a rate to keep the internal temperature below − 60 ° c . a solution of ( s )- isopropyl 2 - aminopropanote hydrochloride ( 1281 g , 7 . 64 mol ) dissolved in 1 . 7 l of dichloromethane was added at a rate to keep internal temperature below − 70 ° c . the resulting suspension was stirred at − 70 ° c . for 30 min and then warmed to ambient temperature overnight . the mixture was diluted with 5 l of methyl t - butyl ether , stirred for 1 h and then filtered . the cake was washed with 3 l of methyl t - butyl ether . the filtrate was concentrated under vacuum at 40 ° c . the crude product was dissolved in 1 : 1 dichloromethane and heptanes ( 12 l ) and mixed with 5 kg of 60 - 200 μm mesh silica gel . the mixture was concentrated under vacuum . the adsorbed material was charged on top of a column packed with silica gel ( 5 kg , 40 - 63 μm mesh ) and eluted with 15 l of heptanes , 25 l of heptanes / ethyl acetate ( 98 %: 2 %) and 52 l of heptanes / ethyl acetate ( 95 %: 5 %). the collected fractions were concentrated in vacuum to give compound 2 ( 1503 g , 66 %) of a colorless liquid . to a 20 l jacketed reactor , equipped with reflux condenser , n 2 inlet , temperature controller , and thermocouple coupled with reaction monitoring software , was charged with ( s )- isopropyl 2 - aminopropanote hydrochloride ( 620 . 19 g , 3 . 70 mol , 1 . 05 eq ), dichloromethane ( 8 . 0 l ) and o - phenylphosphorodichloridothioate ( compound 1 , 800 g , 3 . 52 mol , 1 . 0 eq ). the mixture was cooled to 0 ° c . triethylamine ( 749 g , 7 . 40 mol , 2 . 1 eq ) was added over 3 to 5 hr while maintaining the temperature at below 0 ° c . the mixture was stirred at 0 ° c . for 2 hr , warmed to 20 ° c . over a period of − 5 hr and stirred for 16 hr . a sample was tested using an in process control and conversion was shown to be 99 . 5 %. the mixture was concentrated to 2 . 4 to 3 . 2 l , and then charged with methyl t - butyl ether ( 8 l ). the mixture was stirred for ˜ 30 min . the slurry was filtered . the wet cake was washed with methyl t - butyl ether ( 1 . 6 l ) to obtain a clear solution . the solution was filtered through a pad of silica gel and washed with methyl t - butyl ether ( 2 . 4 l ). the combined organic solution was concentrated under vacuum to give compound 2 as a colorless oil ( 91 %). the product was used in the next step without further purification . to a 100 ml jacketed reactor , equipped with reflux condenser , n 2 inlet , temperature controller , and thermocouple coupled with reaction monitoring software , was charged with ( s )- isopropyl 2 - aminopropanote methanesulfonic acid ( 1 . 73 g , 0 . 013 mol , 1 . 05 eq ), dichloromethane ( 28 . 5 ml ) and o - phenylphosphorodichloridothioate ( compound 1 , 2 . 85 g , 0 . 013 mol , 1 . 0 eq ). the mixture was cooled to 0 ° c . triethylamine ( 2 . 67 g , 2 . 1 eq ) was added over 3 hr while maintaining the temperature below 0 ° c . the mixture was stirred at 0 ° c . for 2 hr , warmed to 20 ° c . over a period of 1 hr and stirred for 16 hr . a sample was tested using an in process control and conversion was shown to be 99 . 5 %. the mixture was concentrated to 9 to 12 ml , was charged methyl t - butyl ether ( 28 . 5 ml ) and stirred for ˜ 30 min . the slurry was filtered . the wet cake was washed with methyl t - butyl ether ( 6 ml ) to obtain a clear solution . the solution was filtered through a pad of silica gel and washed with methyl t - butyl ether ( 9 ml ). the combined organic solution was concentrated under vacuum to give compound 2 as a colorless oil ( 91 %). the product was used in the next step without further purification . the starting material 2 ′- c - methyluridine ( 10 . 7 g , 41 . 5 mmol , 1 eq .) was dried by co - evaporation with pyridine ( 50 ml ) twice and the residue was dried on high vacuum ( approx . 0 . 5 mmhg ) to dryness ( approx . 15 min ). the foamy semi - crystalline residue was dissolved in anhydrous acetonitrile ( acn ; 60 ml ) and n - methylimidazole ( nmi ; 17 ml , 207 mmol , 5 eq .). the resulting solution was cooled to 0 ° c . compound 2 ( 15 . 4 g , 47 . 8 mmol , 1 . 15 eq .) was purified by chromatography and added dropwise in neat form over 15 minutes to the resulting solution . the mixture was stirred for one hour at 0 ° c ., allowed to warm to room temperature , and left overnight . thin layer chromatography ( tlc ; 15 % methanol - dcm ) indicated that the 2 ′- c - methyluridine was mostly consumed to yield compound 3 . the reaction was quenched with methanol ( 15 ml ), stirred for 1 hr at room temperature , and concentrated under reduced pressure . the residue was taken into ethyl acetate ( approx . 150 ml ) and 2 n aqueous hydrochloric acid ( 80 ml ) and the ph was adjusted to approx . 2 with 2 n hydrochloric acid . the organic phase was separated and washed sequentially with water ( approx . 50 ml ) and aqueous sodium bicarbonate ( approx . 50 ml ). the aqueous phases were back - extracted with ethyl acetate . the combined organic solution ( approx . 200 ml ) was dried over magnesium sulfate and filtered through a small silica gel pad ( 10 g of silica gel ). more ethyl acetate ( approx . 250 ml ) was passed through the silica gel to elute the product . an in process control showed the diastereomeric ratio to be 1 . 68 : 1 of compound 3 ( ii )- sp : compound 3 ( i )- rp . the solvent was removed under vacuum and the resulting foam was dissolved in mtbe ( 100 ml ). the clear solution was seeded with 3 ( ii )- sp crystals . the mixture was gently stirred using rotavap for 3 hours at room temperature ( without vacuum ) and then left in a refrigerator overnight . the precipitated solid was filtered off and rinsed with cold mtbe to provide 8 . 96 g ( 39 . 8 % yield ) of compound 3 as an off - white solid that had ˜ 99 % hplc purity and was determined by chiral hplc to be an 87 : 13 mixture of diastereomers compound 3 ( ii )- sp : compound 3 ( i )- rp . the obtained off - white solid of compound 3 was dissolved in dcm ( 30 ml ; ethyl acetate can be used instead of dcm to obtain similar results ) under reflux , the resulting solution was diluted with mtbe ( 60 ml ), seeded with compound 3 ( ii )- sp crystals and left for crystallization for 3 hours at room temperature and then overnight at 0 ° c . the crystalline solid was filtered off , washed with cold mtbe , and dried under vacuum overnight . the yield was 6 . 46 g ( 28 . 6 %; uncorrected ) of an off - white crystalline solid compound 3 ( ii )- sp . hplc 99 % ( compound 3 ( i )- rp : 2 % ( chiral hplc ); residual mtbe ˜ 5 %). to a 1 . 5 l jacketed reactor , reflux condenser , n 2 inlet , temperature controller , and thermocouple coupled with reaction monitoring software , were charged 2 ′- c - methyluridine ( 50 g , 0 . 193 mol , 1 eq . ), anhydrous acetonitrile ( 300 ml ), and nmi ( 79 . 5 g , 0 . 968 mol , 5 . 0 eq .). after stirring the mixture for 30 min , it was cooled down to 0 - 5 ° c . then , compound 2 ( 99 . 7 g , 0 . 309 mol , 1 . 6 eq .) was added dropwise into the solution over 0 . 5 hr . the mixture was stirred at 0 ° c . for 1 hr and warmed to 25 ° c . and stirred for 16 hr until hplc showed 99 % conversion . an in process control showed the diastereomeric ratio to be 1 . 75 : 1 of compound 3 ( ii )- sp : compound 3 ( i )- rp . the reaction was quenched with meoh ( 75 ml ) and left to stir at 25 ° c . for 2 hr . the reaction mixture was concentrated to 150 to 175 ml , then isopropylacetate ( ipac ) ( 500 ml ) was charged , and the mixture was concentrated to 200 to 250 ml . the residue was partitioned between ipac ( 750 ml ) and 2n hcl ( 300 ml × 2 ). the organic layer was separated and was washed with sat . aq . nahco 3 ( 250 ml ) and water ( 250 ml ). the solution was concentrated to 150 to 200 ml and charged with mtbe ( 500 ml ). the solution was again concentrated to 150 to 200 ml . the amount of ipac in the residue was approx . 25 ml . mtbe ( 500 ml ) was charged to the mixture and the mixture was stirred at 30 ° c . for 2 hr . the mixture was cooled to 0 ° c . and stirred for 4 hr ., and filtered to give crude compound 3 ( ii )- sp with 90 % diastereomeric purity . the crude compound 3 ( ii )- sp was slurried in mtbe ( 500 ml ) at 50 ° c . for 2 hr . the mixture was then cooled to 0 ° c . and stirred for 2 hr ., and filtered to give 36g ( 35 % yield ) of a purified compound 3 ( ii )- sp with 98 % purity ( compound 3 ( ii )- rp : 2 %). a solution of 2 ′- methyluridine ( 50 g , 0 . 193 mol , 1 eq .) and n - methylimidazole ( nmi ) ( 79 . 5 g , 0 . 968 mol , 5 . 0 eq ) in methyl isobutyl ketone ( mibk ) ( 300 ml ) was stirred at 0 ° c . compound 2 ( 99 . 7 g , 0 . 309 mol , 1 . 6 eq ) was added dropwise into the solution over 0 . 5 hr . the mixture was stirred at 0 ° c . for 5 hr , warmed to 2 ° c . and stirred for 16 hr until an in process control showed 95 % conversion and a diastereomeric ratio to be 2 . 1 : 1 of compound 3 ( ii )- sp : compound 3 ( i )- rp . the reaction was quenched by adding 2n hcl ( 300 ml ) slowly and with stirring at 20 ° c . for 1 hr . the organic layer was separated and washed with 2n hcl ( 300 ml ), 7 % nahco 3 ( 300 ml ), and water ( 250 ml ). the solution was concentrated to about 150 ml and charged with mtbe ( 500 ml ). the mixture was warmed to 50 ° c ., stirred for 1 hr , cooled to 0 ° c . over 1 hr and stirred for 4 hr . the solid was filtered to give the crude product with 95 % purity and 4 % diastereomer . the crude product was slurried in mtbe ( 500 ml ) at 50 ° c . for 2 hr . the mixture was then cooled to 0 ° c ., stirred for 2 hr and filtered to give the purified compound 3 ( ii )- sp with 98 % purity ( compound 3 ( ii )- rp : 2 %). the solid was dried under vacuum at rt overnight to provide 40 g ( 38 % yield ) of 3 ( ii )- sp . methods a , methods b and c of example 2 advantageously provide compound 3 with a greater selectivity to compound 3 ( ii )- sp when compared to the method for preparing compound 3 described in u . s . publication no . 2012 / 0071434 , filed sep . 19 , 2011 , which is hereby incorporated by reference for the limited purpose of its disclosure of the preparation of compound 3 in example 3 . a diastereomeric ratio of compound 3 ( ii )- sp : compound 3 ( i )- rp of 1 . 68 : 1 , 1 . 75 : 1 and 2 . 1 : 1 was obtained from method a of example 2 , method b of example 2 and method c of example 2 , respectively , versus a diastereomeric ratio of 1 : 1 from example 3 of u . s . publication no . 2012 / 0071434 obtained prior to the separation via sfc or crystallization ( step 4 : separation of 3b ( i )- rp and 3b ( ii )- sp ). to a stirred solution of compound 2 ( 5g , 15 . 6 mmol , 1 eq .) in acetonitrile ( 30 ml ), was added nmi ( 1 . 3 g , 15 . 6 mmol ) at 0 ° c . over 10 mins . the mixture was stirred at 0 ° c . for 30 mins , and then warmed to 25 ° c . and stirred for 30 mins . the reaction mixture was concentrated to give compounds ( c )( i ) and ( c )( ii ) ( 6 . 3g , quantitative ) as a mixture of two diastereomers with 2 . 3 : 1 ratio . the product was analyzed without further purification . fig1 shows 1 h nmr spectrum of the product . 1 h nmr ( 400 mhz , cd 3 cn ) δ 1 . 1 - 1 . 3 ( 6h , m ), 1 . 4 - 1 . 6 ( 3h , m ), 4 . 0 ( 3h , s ), 4 . 1 - 4 . 3 ( 1h , m ), 4 . 8 - 5 . 0 ( 1h , m ), 7 . 2 - 7 . 5 ( 5h , m ), 7 . 6 ( 1h , s ), 8 . 5 ( 1h , m ) and 9 . 9 - 10 . 0 ( 1h , m ). fig2 shows 31 p nmr spectrum of the product . 31 p nmr ( 162 mhz , decoupled , cd 3 cn ) δ 57 . 6 ( s , minor diastereomer ) and 58 . 7 ( s , major diastereomer ). the lcms ( esi ) spectra of the products are provided in fig3 a and 3b : the mass of c 16 h 23 n 3 o 3 ps + was determined to be 368 . 118 ( exact mass calculated is 368 . 12 ). although the foregoing has been described in some detail by way of illustrations and examples for purposes of clarity and understanding , it will be understood by those of skill in the art that numerous and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure . therefore , it should be clearly understood that the forms disclosed herein are illustrative only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure , but rather to also cover all modification and alternatives coming with the true scope and spirit of the invention .