Stereoselectivity of Glycosylation May Change During the Reaction Course: Highly α-Stereoselective Sialylation Achieved by Supramer Approach

Comparison of glycosyl donors: a supramer approach

The development of new methods for chemical glycosylation commonly includes comparison of various glycosyl donors. An attempted comparison of chemical properties of two sialic acid-based thioglycoside glycosyl donors, differing only in the substituent at O-9 (trifluoroacetyl vs chloroacetyl), at different concentrations (0.05 and 0.15 mol·L-1) led to mutually excluding conclusions concerning their relative reactivity and selectivity, which prevented us from revealing a possible influence of remote protective groups at O-9 on glycosylation outcome. According to the results of the supramer analysis of the reaction solutions, this issue might be related to the formation of supramers of glycosyl donors differing in structure hence chemical properties. These results seem to imply that comparison of chemical properties of different glycosyl donors may not be as simple and straightforward as it is usually considered.

Diacetyl strategy for synthesis of NHAc containing glycans: enhancing glycosylation reactivity via diacetyl imide protection

The presence of NHAc groups in the substrates (both glycosyl donors and acceptors) significantly reduced the reactivity of glycosylation. This decrease was attributed to the NHAc groups forming intermolecular hydrogen bonds by the NHAc groups, thereby reducing molecular mobility. Hence, a diacetyl strategy involving the temporary conversion of NHAc to diacetyl imide (NAc2) was developed for the synthesis of NHAc-containing glycans. This strategy has two significant advantages for oligosaccharide synthesis. The NAc2 protection of NHAc substantially enhances the rate of glycosylation reactions, resulting in improved yields. Moreover, NAc2 can be readily reverted to NHAc by the simple removal of one acetyl group under mild basic conditions, obviating the necessity for treating the polar amino group. We have achieved the efficient synthesis of oligosaccharides containing GlcNHAc and N-glycans containing sialic acid using the diacetyl strategy.

Reinvestigation of N,N-Diacetylimido-Protected 2-Aminothioglycosides in O-Glycosylation: Intermolecular Hydrogen Bonds Contributing to 1,2-Orthoamide Formation

N,N-Diacetylimido protection of 2-aminoglycosides is an elegant strategy but has had limited applications due to unexpected side reactions in glycosylation. We found that high acid concentrations could diminish the side reactions. We observed intermolecular hydrogen bonding among alcohols and acids could disrupt. Assuming that intermolecular hydrogen bonding accelerates the formation of 1,2-orthoamides and disrupting intermolecular hydrogen bonds could turn to the desired glycosylation, we successfully employed sulfenyl triflate pre-activation in the glycosylation of a broad scope of alcohol acceptors, as well as in a one-pot synthesis of a protected human milk oligosaccharide, lacto-N-neotetraose.

The use of the novel glycosyl acceptor and supramer analysis in the synthesis of sialyl-α(2-3)-galactose building block

A new glycosyl acceptor to be used in sialylation was designed as a 3-hydroxy derivative of 4-methoxyphenyl β-d-galactopyranoside with 2-O-acetyl group and O-4 and O-6 protected as benzylidene acetal. Two alternative syntheses of this compound were compared. Sialylation of 3-OH group of the glycosyl acceptor with O-chloroacetylated N-trifluoroacetylneuraminic acid phenyl thioglycoside (NIS, TfOH, MeCN, MS 3 Å, -40 °C) was studied in a wide concentration range (5-150 mmol L^-1). The outcome of sialylation generally followed the predictions of supramer analysis of solutions of sialyl donor in MeCN, which was performed by polarimetry and static light scattering and revealed two concentration ranges differing in solution structure and the structures of supramers of glycosyl donor. The optimized conditions of sialylation (C = 50 mmol L^-1) were used to synthesize protected Neu-α(2-3)-Gal disaccharide (78%, α:β = 13:1), which was then converted to sialyl-α(2-3)-galactose imidate building block useful for the synthesis of complex sialo-oligosaccharides.

The Experimental Evidence in Support of Glycosylation Mechanisms at the SN1-SN2 Interface

A critical review of the state-of-the-art evidence in support of the mechanisms of glycosylation reactions is provided. Factors affecting the stability of putative oxocarbenium ions as intermediates at the SN1 end of the mechanistic continuum are first surveyed before the evidence, spectroscopic and indirect, for the existence of such species on the time scale of glycosylation reactions is presented. Current models for diastereoselectivity in nucleophilic attack on oxocarbenium ions are then described. Evidence in support of the intermediacy of activated covalent glycosyl donors is reviewed, before the influences of the structure of the nucleophile, of the solvent, of temperature, and of donor-acceptor hydrogen bonding on the mechanism of glycosylation reactions are surveyed. Studies on the kinetics of glycosylation reactions and the use of kinetic isotope effects for the determination of transition-state structure are presented, before computational models are finally surveyed. The review concludes with a critical appraisal of the state of the art.

Application of a Janus aglycon with dual function in benzyl-free synthesis of spacer-armed oligosaccharide fragments of polysaccharides from rhizobacterium Azospirillum brasilense sp7

Both protective and pre-spacer features of 4-(2-chloroethoxy)phenyl (CEP) aglycon, which belong to the class of Janus aglycons, were engaged in a benzyl-free synthesis of oligosaccharide fragments of polysaccharides from rhizobacterium Azospirillum brasilense sp7. Introduction of α-1,4-linked L-fucose residue was performed using 3,4-di-O-benzoyl-2-O-triisopropylsilyl-α-L-fucopyranosyl N-phenyltrifluoroacetimidate in excellent stereoselectivity and high yields. The obtained deprotected di-, tri- and tetrasaccharides contain 4-(2-azidoethoxy)phenyl (AEP) spacer aglycon, which allows straightforward preparation of neoglycoconjugates that will be used for the study of the role of lipopolysaccharide of rhizobacterium A. brasilense sp7 in plant-microbe symbiosis. The intermediate protected oligosaccharide building blocks with cleavable CEP/AEP aglycons have a strong potential for further application in the synthesis of more complex oligosaccharides.

Stereoselective sialylation with O-trifluoroacetylated thiosialosides: hydrogen bonding involved?

A series of novel sialyl donors containing O-trifluoroacetyl (TFA) groups at various positions was synthesized. The choice of protecting groups in sialyl donors was based on hypothesis that variations in ability of different acyl groups to act as hydrogen bond acceptors would influence the supramolecular structure of reaction mixture (solution structure), hence the outcome of sialylation. These glycosyl donors were examined in the model glycosylation of the primary hydroxyl group of 1,2:3,4-di-O-isopropylidene-α-D-galactopyranose in comparison with sialyl donors without O-TFA groups. The presence of O-TFA groups in a sialyl donor strongly affected the outcome of sialylation. Several sialyl donors studied showed promising results: yields of disaccharides can be as high as 86% as can be the stereoselectivities (α/β up to 15:1). The results obtained suggest that varying acyl O-protecting groups in sialyl donor may result in dramatic changes in the outcome of sialylation although further studies are required to dissect the influence of intermolecular hydrogen bonding and intramolecular substituent effects related to variations of electron-withdrawing properties of different acyl groups.

Bimodal concentration-dependent reactivity pattern of a glycosyl donor: Is the solution structure involved?

Changes in concentration (0.001-0.1 M) of an arabinofuranosyl donor (1) have been shown to modulate the temperature T at which activation of 1 occurs (from -23 °C to +7 °C), the reaction time (from 1.5 h to 3 days) and the yield of the disaccharide formed (from 14% to 82%). At concentrations exceeding 0.01 M, these parameters, as well as the specific optical rotation of the solution of 1, virtually do not depend on concentration suggesting formation of reacting species (supramers) of glycosyl donor with similar structures, hence reactivities, but considerably different from those formed in more dilute solutions. The found critical concentration (0.01 M) separates two concentration ranges of reaction solutions corresponding to two types of solution structure that are featured by the presence of fundamentally different supramers of glycosyl donor, which have distinct chemical properties. These results allow a fresh look at the problems of reactivity of chemical compounds and selectivity of the reactions in which they participate.

Chemical reactivity and solution structure: on the way to a paradigm shift?

Reagent molecules inside solution domains {R1} and {R2} cannot contact hence react. For this reason solution structure may influence chemical reactivity.

In a glycosylation reaction how does a hydroxylic nucleophile find the activated anomeric carbon?

The mechanism by which nucleophilic hydroxyls are attracted to activated glycopyranosyl donors is not known. Besides the intrinsic attraction of oxygen centred negative dipoles towards the developing electron deficiency at the anomeric carbon only a few suggestions have been given in the literature. By studying the effect on Density Functional Theory (DFT) modelled glycosylation reactions on the presence of polar additives as tested with acetonitrile two possible effects have been identified. One was noted in a previous publication (Carbohydr. Res.2012, 356, 180-190) and two further examples discovered here that suggest that a lone pair of a nucleophile approaching a donor with a β-leaving group from the α-face can act as the antiperiplanar lone pair that assists leaving group departure. This interaction starts at just under a nucleophile C-1 separation of 3Å and has an incipient bond angle of O-5-C-1-Nuc(O or N) of very close to 90° which can be at C-1 with the p-type orbital at C-1-O-5 of the incipient oxacarbenium ion, that is, the LUMO of the activated donor. The 2nd interaction is less well studied and is suggested to be a similar bonding interaction which moves β-face nucleophiles to O-Nuc-C-1-leaving groups angles close to 180°.

The use of O-trifluoroacetyl protection and profound influence of the nature of glycosyl acceptor in benzyl-free arabinofuranosylation

The influence of O-trifluoroacetyl (TFA) groups at different positions of thioglycoside glycosyl donors on stereoselectivity of α-arabinofuranosylation leading to corresponding disaccharides was studied. It was shown that TFA group in thioglycoside glycosyl donors, when combined with 2-O-(triisopropylsilyl) (TIPS) non-participating group, may be regarded as an electron-withdrawing protecting group that may enhance 1,2-cis-selectivity in arabinofuranosylation, the results strongly depending on the nature of glycosyl acceptor. The reactivities of the glycosyl donors were compared with those of a similar thioglycoside with O-pentafluoropropionyl groups and the known phenyl 3,5-O-(di-tert-butylsilylene)-1-thio-α-d-arabinofuranosides with 2-O-TIPS and 2-O-benzyl groups. The 'matching' in the donor-acceptor combination was found to be critical for achieving both high reactivity of glycosyl donor and β-stereoselectivity of arabinofuranosylation. The use of glycosyl donors with TFA and silyl protection may be useful in the realization of the benzyl-free approach to oligoarabinofuranosides with azido group in aglycon-convenient building blocks for the preparation of neoglycoconjugates.

Polarimetry as a tool for the study of solutions of chiral solutes

Optical rotation of aqueous solutions of D-levoglucosan was studied experimentally in the 0.03-4.0 mol L(-1) concentration range and a nonlinear concentration dependence of specific optical rotation (SR) was revealed. Discontinuities observed in the concentration plot of SR (at 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mol L(-1)) are well correlated with those found by static and dynamic light scattering and identify concentration ranges in which different solution domains (supramers) may exist. The average SR experimental value for a D-levoglucosan aqueous solution ([α]D(28) -58.5±8.7 deg dm(-1) cm(-3) g(-1)) was found to be in good agreement with values obtained by theoretical calculation (TD-DFT/GIAO) of SR for 15 different conformers revealed by conformational sampling at the PCM/B3LYP/6-311++G(2d,2p)//B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) level, which were shown to be strongly affected by the solvation microenvironment (0, 1, 2, and 3 explicit solvent molecules considered) due to local geometrical changes induced in the solute molecule. This exceptionally high sensitivity of SR makes polarimetry a unique method capable of sensing changes in the structure of supramers detected in this study.

Methodology development and physical organic chemistry: a powerful combination for the advancement of glycochemistry

This Perspective outlines work in the Crich group on the diastereoselective synthesis of the so-called difficult classes of glycosidic bond: the 2-deoxy-β-glycopyranosides, the β-mannopyranosides, the α-sialosides, the α-glucopyranosides, and the β-arabinofuranosides with an emphasis on the critical interplay between mechanism and methodology development.