Synthesis of 4-deoxy and 4-deoxy-4-halogeno derivatives of l-fucose as potential enzyme inhibitors

Synthesis and Structural Characteristics of all Mono- and Difluorinated 4,6-Dideoxy-d-xylo-hexopyranoses

Protein-carbohydrate interactions are implicated in many biochemical/biological processes that are fundamental to life and to human health. Fluorinated carbohydrate analogues play an important role in the study of these interactions and find application as probes in chemical biology and as drugs/diagnostics in medicine. The availability and/or efficient synthesis of a wide variety of fluorinated carbohydrates is thus of great interest. Here, we report a detailed study on the synthesis of monosaccharides in which the hydroxy groups at their 4- and 6-positions are replaced by all possible mono- and difluorinated motifs. Minimization of protecting group use was a key aim. It was found that introducing electronegative substituents, either as protecting groups or as deoxygenation intermediates, was generally beneficial for increasing deoxyfluorination yields. A detailed structural study of this set of analogues demonstrated that dideoxygenation/fluorination at the 4,6-positions caused very little distortion both in the solid state and in aqueous solution. Unexpected trends in α/β anomeric ratios were identified. Increasing fluorine content always increased the α/β ratio, with very little difference between regio- or stereoisomers, except when 4,6-difluorinated.

Molecular Insights into DC-SIGN Binding to Self-Antigens: The Interaction with the Blood Group A/B Antigens

The dendritic cell-specific intracellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing nonintegrin (DC-SIGN) is an important receptor of the immune system. Besides its role as pathogen recognition receptor (PRR), it also interacts with endogenous glycoproteins through the specific recognition of self-glycan epitopes, like Le^X. However, this lectin represents a paradigmatic case of glycan binding promiscuity, and it also has been shown to recognize antigens with α1−α2 linked fucose, such as the histo blood group antigens, with similar affinities to Le^X. Herein, we have studied the interaction in solution between DC-SIGN and the blood group A and B antigens, to get insights into the atomic details of such interaction. With a combination of different NMR experiments, we demonstrate that the Fuc coordinates the primary Ca²⁺ ion with a single binding mode through 3-OH and 4-OH. The terminal αGal/αGalNAc affords marginal direct polar contacts with the protein, but provides a hydrophobic hook in which V351 of the lectin perfectly fits. Moreover, we have found that αGal, but not αGalNAc, is a weak binder itself for DC-SIGN, which could endow an additional binding mode for the blood group B antigen, but not for blood group A.

Synthesis and cytotoxic activity of a new potent daunomycinone derivative

The preparation and cytotoxic activity of 4'-azido-3'-bromo-3'-deamino-4'-deoxydaunorubicin is described. The new compound was found to be less active in vitro than adriamycin against L1210 and the sensitive cell lines KB-3-1 and MES-SA, but retained interesting cytotoxicity against the adriamycin resistant subline KB-A1 and the multidrug resistant MES-SA/Dx5 subline.

Synthesis of deoxyfluoro sugars from carbohydrate precursors

Results obtained over the past decade concerning the introduction of the fluorine atom into carbohydrate molecules, either by nucleophilic substitution or electrophilic addition reactions, are summarised. The first section mainly deals with the triflate/fluoride tandem sequence and the DAST-reaction. In the discussion, emphasis is given to the dependency of the reaction course on the stereochemical and protecting group features. Possible reaction pathways are direct substitution (with inversion or retention of configuration), rearrangement (combined with substitution and inversion of configuration at both of the centres involved) and elimination. Based on the assumption of cyclic transition states or transient intermediates (formed through participation of neighbouring groups), far-reaching mechanistic generalisations were made. On this basis, isolated examples from the literature, which are not in accordance with these generalisations, are specifically brought to attention. Results from the recently introduced reaction of safe and easy to handle N-F fluorinating agents with glycals are also reported. This approach allows the simple and stereoselective access to a series of 2-deoxy-2-fluoro aldopyranoses, as well as the synthesis of various C-1-substituted derivatives by an easy one-pot reaction. However, the same method applied to furanoid glycals is rather poor with respect to stereoselectivity. Finally, considerations on the importance of fluorine-specific reactions of the S(N)-type in related fields of organic synthesis are made.

NMR spectra of fluorinated carbohydrates

Recent advances in structural and conformational analysis of fluorinated carbohydrates by NMR spectroscopy are reviewed. Characteristic 1H, 13C, and 19F NMR chemical shifts and coupling constants for selected examples are given and the spectral data of a series of fluorinated carbohydrates were collected in continuation of the review of Csuk and Glänzer [Adv. Carbohydr. Chem. Biochem., 46 (1988) 73-177].

Syntheses of methyl (4,6-dideoxy-alpha-L-lyxo-hexopyranosyl)-(1-->3)- and (4-deoxy-4-fluoro-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl)-(1-->3)- 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranosides, analogs of the mycobacterial arabinogalactan linkage disaccharide

We have made thioglycoside donors for the 4,6-dideoxy-L-lyxo-hexopyranosyl ('4-deoxy-L-rhamnosyl') and 4-deoxy-4-fluoro-L-rhamnosyl monosaccharide residues. The preparation of the deoxyfluororhamnose was not straightforward, and revealed some unexpected behavior of the diethylaminosulfur trifluoride (DAST) reagent. The new glycosyl donors were used to synthesize two analogs of the mycobacterial arabinogalactan linkage disaccharide -->4)-alpha-L-Rha-(1-->3)-alpha-D-GlcNAc. These analogs are prototypes for a family of potential inhibitors of the enzymes involved in the early stages of cell-wall construction in mycobacteria.

Inhibition of L-fucokinase from rat liver by L-fucose analogues in vitro

By investigating the effects of more than 15 different L-fucose analogues on the activity of L-fucokinase (EC 2.7.1.52) from rat liver in vitro, certain structural requirements for potent inhibition of this enzyme were established. Of the novel compounds, 4,6-dideoxy-L-xylo-hexopyranose (4) and methyl 4,6-dideoxy-4-iodo-L-glucopyranose (9) were found to be competitive inhibitors with Ki-values of 0.5 mM and 5.0 mM respectively. Thus 4,6-dideoxy-L-xylo-hexopyranose is a better inhibitor of L-fucokinase than methyl-alpha-L-fucoside (1). Uptake of L-fucose into rat hepatoma cells is reduced by 52% in the presence of the deoxy derivative (4), leading to a decrease of 45% in the incorporation of L-fucose into total cellular glycoproteins.

Glycobiotechnology: enzymes for the synthesis of nucleotide sugars

Complex carbohydrates, as constituting part of glycoconjugates such as glycoproteins, glycolipids, hormones, antibiotics and other secondary metabolites, play an active role in inter- and intracellular communication. The aim of "glycobiotechnology" as an upcoming interdisciplinary research field is to develop highly efficient synthesis strategies, including in vivo and in vitro approaches, in order to bring such complex molecules into analytical and therapeutic studies. The enzymatic synthesis of glycosidic bonds by Leloir-glycosyltransferases is an efficient strategy for obtaining saccharides with absolute stereo- and regioselectivity in high yields and under mild conditions. There are, however, two obstacles hindering the realization of this process on a biotechnological scale, namely the production of recombinant Leloir-glycosyltransferases and the availability of enzymes for the synthesis of nucleotide sugars (the glycosyltransferase donor substrates). The present review surveys some synthetic targets which have attracted the interest of glycobiologists as well as recombinant expression systems which give Leloir-glycosyltransferase activities in the mU and U range. The main part summarizes publications concerned with the complex pathways of primary and secondary nucleotide sugars and the availability and use of these enzymes for synthesis applications. In this context, a survey of our work will demonstrate how enzymes from different sources and pathways can be combined for the synthesis of nucleotide deoxysugars and oligosaccharides.

Glucosylenamines as glycosyl acceptors: synthesis of gentiobiosylenamines

The preparation of 2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl- (3), 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl- (4), and 2,3,4-tri-O-benzoyl-N-(2,2-diethoxycarbonylvinyl)-6-O-trityl-beta- D-glucopyranosylamine (5) is described. The reaction of 3-5 with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl bromide yields 2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl- (9), 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl- (10), and 2,3,4-tri-O-benzoyl-N-(2,2-diethoxycarbonylvinyl)-6-O-(2,3,4,6-tet ra-O- acetyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-beta-D-glucopyranosylamine (11), respectively. 2,3,4-Tri-O-benzyl- (6), 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl- (7), and 2,3,4-tri-O- benzoyl-N-(2,2-diethoxycarbonylvinyl)-beta-D-glucopyranosylamine (8) are also described.