It belongs to a class of compounds known as Pyrimidine 2'-deoxyribonucleosides[1] and closely resembles the chemical composition of uridine but without the presence of the 2' hydroxyl group.

Idoxuridine and Trifluridine are variants of deoxyuridine used as antiviral drugs.

They are similar enough to be incorporated as part of DNA replication, but they possess side groups on the uracil component (an iodine and a CF3 group, respectively), that prevent base pairing.

[2] This compound exists in all living organisms and can become part of DNA in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells through two mechanisms.

[3] UMP synthase deficiency is a metabolic disorder in humans that involves deoxyuridine.