Incidence and avoidance of stereospecific 1,2-ethylthio group migration during the synthesis of ethyl 1-thio-α-l-rhamnopyranoside 2,3-orthoester

Towards the synthesis of a 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-d-mannose building block and characterisation of an unusual 2-S-phenyl anomeric pyridinium triflate salt via 1 → 2 S-migration

Regio- and stereo-selective synthetic routes to 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-d-mannose building blocks are often experimentally challenging when using Selectfluor with the corresponding glycal. We targeted a late-stage method to introduce fluorine in a stereospecific manner using inversion via a triflate. Accordingly, synthesis of a conventionally protected 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-d-mannose β-thioglycoside donor, directly applicable to oligosaccharide synthesis, was attempted using C2-triflate inversion of the corresponding d-glucoside with TBAF. Unexpectedly, an anomeric pyridinium salt was isolated when attempting to form the C2-triflate using Tf2O in pyridine. Indicatively, this proceeds via a 1 → 2 S-migration delivering a 1,2-trans product with α-d-manno configuration and the anomeric pyridinium in a pseudo-equatorial position. The structure of this unexpected intermediate was confirmed in the solid-state using X-ray crystallography. Omission of the pyridine solvent led to dimer formation. Switching the aglycone to an O-para-methoxyphenyl enabled smooth C2 inversion to the desired 2-deoxy-2-fluoro d-mannose system, suitably equipped for further anomeric manipulation.

Protecting group migrations in carbohydrate chemistry

Protecting groups are valuable in chemo- and regioselective synthetic manipulations. In particular, they are indispensable in carbohydrate chemistry. Although a wide array of protecting groups are available at the disposal of carbohydrate chemists, their stability and orthogonality make the choice of protecting groups challenging. Another important factor is the migratory aptitude of different protecting groups used in carbohydrate chemistry. Migration of commonly used groups like silyl, acetal and acyl groups under various reaction conditions are discussed. Synthetic application of predicted migrations, alternate protecting groups to avoid migration and conditions favoring and disfavoring migrations are discussed in this review.

Preactivation-based chemoselective glycosylations: A powerful strategy for oligosaccharide assembly

Most glycosylation reactions are performed by mixing the glycosyl donor and acceptor together followed by the addition of a promoter. While many oligosaccharides have been synthesized successfully using this premixed strategy, extensive protective group manipulation and aglycon adjustment often need to be performed on oligosaccharide intermediates, which lower the overall synthetic efficiency. Preactivation-based glycosylation refers to strategies where the glycosyl donor is activated by a promoter in the absence of an acceptor. The subsequent acceptor addition then leads to the formation of the glycoside product. As donor activation and glycosylation are carried out in two distinct steps, unique chemoselectivities can be obtained. Successful glycosylation can be performed independent of anomeric reactivities of the building blocks. In addition, one-pot protocols have been developed that have enabled multiple-step glycosylations in the same reaction flask without the need for intermediate purification. Complex glycans containing both 1,2-cis and 1,2-trans linkages, branched oligosaccharides, uronic acids, sialic acids, modifications such as sulfate esters and deoxy glycosides have been successfully synthesized. The preactivation-based chemoselective glycosylation is a powerful strategy for oligosaccharide assembly complementing the more traditional premixed method.

TMSBr-mediated solvent- and work-up-free synthesis of α-2-deoxyglycosides from glycals

The thio-additions of glycals were efficiently promoted by a stoichiometric amount of trimethylsilyl bromide (TMSBr) to produce S-2-deoxyglycosides under solvent-free conditions in good to excellent yields. In addition, with triphenylphosphine oxide as an additive, the TMSBr-mediated direct glycosylations of glycals with a large range of alcohols were highly α-selective.

Organoboron-catalyzed regio- and stereoselective formation of β-2-deoxyglycosidic linkages

A borinic acid derived catalyst enables regioselective and β-selective reactions of 2-deoxy- and 2,6-dideoxyglycosyl chloride donors with pyranoside-derived acceptors having unprotected cis-1,2- and 1,3-diol groups. The use of catalysis to promote a β-selective pathway by enhancement of acceptor nucleophilicity constitutes a distinct approach from previous work, which has been aimed at modulating donor reactivity by variation of protective and/or leaving groups.

Synthesis, conjugation, and immunological evaluation of the serogroup 6 pneumococcal oligosaccharides

The first synthesis of the newly discovered oligosaccharide of pneumococcal serotype 6C and its spacer-containing analogue is reported. Conjugation of the spacer-containing oligosaccharides of pneumococcal saccharides 6A, 6B, 6C and derivatives thereof with bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein carrier was carried out by using squaric-acid approach to obtain the oligosaccharide-protein conjugates in excellent yields. The conjugates have been tested with a rabbit antiserum pool (Pool B) used for pneumococcal serotyping. The results showed that synthetic carbohydrate conjugates express epitopes found in native capsular polysaccharides of serotypes 6A, 6B, and 6C.

2,3-Anhydrosugars in glycoside bond synthesis. Application to 2,6-dideoxypyranosides

We describe here the first use of 2,3-anhydrosugars as glycosylating agents for the preparation of 2-deoxypyranosides. In particular, the methodology was used to assemble 2,6-dideoxysugar glycosides. Glycosylation of a panel of alcohols with one of two 6-deoxy-2,3-anhydrosugar thioglycosides (8 and 9) in the presence of a Lewis acid afforded 2,6-dideoxy-2-thiotolyl glycoside products in generally excellent yields with an exclusively syn relationship between the aglycon and the C-3 hydroxyl group. Removal of the 2-thiotolyl group can be achieved upon reaction with tri-n-butyltin hydride and AIBN to give the corresponding 2,6-dideoxy pyranosides. Once developed, the method was applied to the synthesis of oligosaccharide moieties in the natural products apoptolidin and olivomycin A.

Synthesis of spacer-containing analogs of serogroup 6 pneumococcal oligosaccharides

An efficient convergent strategy for the synthesis of a range of spacer-containing pneumococcal oligosaccharides of serogroup 6 and derivatives thereof has been developed. The spacer-containing oligosaccharides were deprotected and are available for subsequent conjugation and immunological studies, which are underway in our laboratory.

Conformational analysis of sulfur-containing 6-deoxy-l-hexose derivatives by molecular modeling and NMR spectroscopy. A theoretical study and experimental evidence of intramolecular nonbonded interactions between sulfur and oxygen

6-Deoxy-l-mannose diphenyldithioacetal (1) unexpectedly gave the rearranged products phenyl 3,4-di-O-acetyl-2-S-phenyl-1,2-dithio-6-deoxy-beta-l-glucopyranoside (9) and 3,4-di-O-acetyl-2,5-anhydro-6-deoxy-l-glucose diphenyldithioacetal (10) upon treatment with acetyl chloride, while 6-deoxy-l-mannose ethylenedithioacetal (3) yielded (4aR,6S,7S,8R,8aS)-7,8-diacetyloxy-6-methylhexahydro-4aH-[1,4]dithiino[2,3b]pyran (11), whose structure was further confirmed by X-ray diffraction, and 3,4-di-O-acetyl-2,5-anhydro-l-rhamnose ethylenedithioacetal (12). The geometry of the four rearranged products as well as that of 1-thio-6-deoxy-l-mannopyranosides 5 and 7 and their acetyl derivatives 6 and 8 was studied by density functional theory (B3LYP/6-31G) molecular models, in combination with a Karplus-type analysis of the NMR vicinal coupling constants, revealing that the six-membered ring of pyranosides 5-9 and 11 exists in a slightly distorted chair conformation (6-13% distortion) and that the conformational behavior of the 2,5-anhydro-6-deoxy-l-glucose dithioacetals 10 and 12 is strongly influenced by the presence of stabilizing intramolecular nonbonded sulfur-oxygen 1,4- and 1,5-interactions. Compounds 9-12 were formed by a molecular rearrangement via sulfonium ion intermediates followed by stereoselective intramolecular cyclizations as formulated by the quantum chemical calculations performed in the present study.

A simple one-pot method for the synthesis of partially protected mono- and disaccharide building blocks using an orthoesterification–benzylation–orthoester rearrangement approach

A simple one-pot method is reported for making partially protected glycosyl acceptors from O-methyl or S-alkyl/aryl glycosides of D-glucose, D-galactose, D-arabinose, L-rhamnose, L-fucose and lactose via orthoester formation, benzylation and selective hydrolysis.

Synthesis of the pentasaccharide related to the repeating unit of the antigen from Shigella dysenteriae type 4 in the form of its methyl ester 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl glycoside

Starting from D-mannose, D-glucose and L-fucose, the pentasaccharide derivative methyl 2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-alpha-L-fucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-2-O-acetyl-4,6-O-benzylidene-alpha-D-mannopyranosyl-(1-->3)-2-O-acetyl-6-O-benzyl-4-O-(2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-alpha-L-fucopyranosyl)-alpha-D-mannopyranosyl-(1-->4)-[2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-beta-D-glucopyranosid]uronate was synthesized. This compound with two alpha-mannopyranosyl units was transformed, via Walden inversion and subsequent deprotection, into the alpha-D-glucosamine-type target compound, namely methyl alpha-L-fucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-(alpha-L-fucopyranosyl)-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-[2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl beta-D-glucopyranosid]uronate which is related to the repeating unit of the O-antigen from Shigella dysenteriae type 4.

Stereoselective synthesis of 2-S-ethyl(phenyl)-2-thio-beta-glucopyranosides via 1,2-migration and concurrent glycosidation of ethyl(phenyl) 2,3-orthoester-1-thio-alpha-mannopyranosides

1,2-Migration and concurrent glycosidation of ethyl(phenyl) 2,3-orthoester-1-thio-alpha-D- and L-mannopyranosides under the action of TMSOTf readily afforded the corresponding 2-S-ethyl(phenyl)-2-thio-beta-glucopyranosides, ready precursors to 2-deoxy-arabino-hexopyranosides (2-deoxy-beta-glucopyranosides).

Synthesis of an L-quinovose-containing disaccharide

The synthesis of a versatile L-rhamnose monosaccharide synthon is described. This synthon is used in the synthesis of a disaccharide containing the rare sugar, 6-deoxy-L-glucose, linked to the 3-C-hydroxymethyl group of methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene 3-C-(hydroxymethyl)-beta-D-erythrofuranoside.

Stereoselective synthesis of 2-S-phenyl-2-deoxy-beta-glycosides using phenyl 2,3-O-thionocarbonyl-1-thioglycoside donors via 1,2-Migration and concurrent glycosidation

[figure: see text] 1,2-Migration and concurrent glycosidation of phenyl 2,3-O-thionocarbonyl-1-thlo-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosides under the action of methyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (MeOTf) afforded in high yields the 3-O-(methylthio)carbonyl-2-S-phenyl-2,6-dideoxy-beta-L-glucopyranosides, ready precursors to the corresponding 2-deoxy-beta-glycosides.

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.

Synthesis of 5-aminopentyl mono- to tri-saccharide haptens related to the species-specific glycopeptidolipids of Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare serovars 8 and 21

The preparation of pyruvate acetal-containing 5-aminopentyl mono-, di-, and tri-saccharide fragments related to serovars 8 and 21 of the species-specific glycopeptidolipid of Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare is described. The saccharides were constructed by sequential coupling of the suitably protected 4,6-O-[(S)-1-methoxycarbonylethylidene]-D-glucopyranosyl trichloroacetimidates 6 and 7 to Z-protected 5-aminopentanol, to give the serovar 21 monosaccharide fragment 9 upon deblocking; and to ethyl 2-O-benzoyl-4-O-benzyl-1-thio-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (18), to give the corresponding ethyl 1-thio-disaccharides 21 and 23, respectively. Subsequent N-iodosuccinimide-promoted coupling of the latter with Z-protected 5-aminopentanol followed by deblocking of the products afforded the corresponding disaccharide fragments 26 (serovar 8) and 27 (serovar 21), respectively. Condensation of 21 with Z-protected 5-aminopentyl 3,4-di-O-benzyl-6-deoxy-alpha-L-talopyranoside (28) and subsequent deblocking of the resulting trisaccharide gave the serovar 8 fragment 5-aminopentyl O-(4,6-O-[(S)-1-carboxyethylidene]-3-O-methyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)- (1-->3)-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-6-deoxy-alpha-L-talopyranos ide (30).

Synthesis of chlorodeoxy trisaccharides related to the Shigella flexneri Y polysaccharide

Chloromethoxylation of di-O-acetyl-L-rhamnal has been employed as a convenient route to methyl 3,4-di-O-acetyl-2-chloro-2-deoxy-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside 7, which was converted into an ethyl thioglycoside 10, suitable for use as a glycosyl donor. It and a disaccharide analogue 20 were effective donors in N-iodosuccinimide-triflic acid promoted glycosylations of a 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucopyranoside acceptor 22. Chlorodeoxy saccharides have previously been shown to be suitable derivatives to probe oligosaccharide-protein interactions, and this synthetic strategy provided three monochlorodeoxy trisaccharide congeners of the native Shigella flexneri epitope 2, alpha-L-Rhap-(1-->3)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1-->3)-beta-D-GlcNAcp+ ++-(1-->O)-Me.

Iodonium ion-assisted synthesis of a haptenic tetrasaccharide fragment corresponding to the inner cell-wall glycopeptidolipid of Mycobacterium avium serotype 4

Condensation of ethyl 2,4-di-O-benzoyl-1-thio-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside with ethyl 3-O-benzyl-4-O-chloroacetyl-2-O-methyl-1-thio-beta-L-fucopyranoside in the presence of iodonium di-sym-collidine perchlorate afforded exclusively ethyl 2,4-di-O-benzoyl-3-O-(3-O-benzyl-4-O- chloroacetyl-2-O-methyl-alpha-L-fucopyranosyl)-1-thio-alpha-L-rhamnop yra noside. This disaccharide derivative was extended at C-1 with 3-benzyloxycarbonylaminopropyl 6-deoxy-3,4-O-isopropylidene-alpha-L- talopyranoside, using N-iodosuccinimide and triflic acid as the catalyst, to furnish 3-benzyloxycarbonylaminopropyl 6-deoxy-2-O-[2,4-di-O-benzoyl-3-O-(3-O-benzyl-4-O-chloroacetyl-2-O-me thy l- alpha-L-fucopyranosyl)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl]-3,4-O-isopropylidene-alp ha-L- talopyranoside (20). Selective removal of the chloroacetyl group from 20, followed by condensation with ethyl 2,3-di-O-benzoyl-4-O-methyl-1-thio-alpha-L- rhamnopyranoside in the presence of the same thiophilic promoter, yielded a fully protected tetrasaccharide derivative. Deprotection of the latter gave the target compound 3-aminopropyl 6-deoxy-2-O-[3-O-[2-O- methyl-(4-O-methyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl)-alpha-L-fucopyranosyl]-alpha -L- rhamnopyranosyl]-alpha-L-talopyranoside (1).

A new approach to the chemical synthesis of the trisaccharide, and the terminal di- and mono-saccharide units of the major, serologically active glycolipid from Mycobacterium leprae

The key intermediates for the synthesis of p-trifluoroacetamidophenyl O-(3,6-di-O-methyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->4)-O-(2,3-di-O-methyl-alp ha-L- rhamnopyranosyl)-(1-->2)-3-O-methyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (15), as well as p-trifluoroacetamidophenyl O-(3,6-di-O-methyl-beta-D- glucopyranosyl)-(1-->4)-2,3-di-O-methyl-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (29), were the methyl and ethyl O-(2-O-benzyl-4,6-O-benzylidene-3-O-methyl-beta- D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->4)-2,3-O-diphenylmethylene-1-thio-alpha-L- rhamnopyranosides (10 and 24). Dichloroalane treatment of 10 and 24 removed the diphenylmethylene group, liberating HO-2 and HO-3 of the rhamnopyranoside residue, and opened the benzylidene acetal regioselectively to give the 4-O-benzyl-glucopyranosyl disaccharides. Methylation of the free OH groups resulted in the tetra-O-methyl 1-thio disaccharides (12 and 26), useful as glycosyl donors. Introduction of these temporary blocking groups allowed a drastic reduction in the number of synthetic steps to the target compounds.

The synthesis of chemically modified disaccharide derivatives of the Shigella flexneri Y polysaccharide antigen

Disaccharide analogs related to the 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-(alpha-L- rhamnopyranosyl)-beta-D-glucopyranose element of the Shigella flexneri Y polysaccharide antigen have been synthesized and used to map the binding site of murine monoclonal antibodies GC-4 and SYA/J6 by solid-phase inhibition assays. N-Acetyl, N-trifluoroacetyl and N-benzyloxycarbonyl derivatives of methyl-2-amino-4,6-O-benzylidene-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranoside 1, 3, and 4 were glycosylated by rhamnopyranosyl bromide and thioglycoside donors 5 and 6. These in turn provided access to a series of alpha-L-Rha p-(1-->3)-beta-D-GlcNp-(1-->O)-Me disaccharide glycosides with amino 13, N-acetyl 10, N-propionyl 14, N-pivaloyl 15, and N-trifluoroacetyl 11 functionalities. Congeners of the disaccharide 10 were synthesized with monodeoxy groups introduced at the C-4 and C-6 positions of the GlcNAc residues and at the C-4' position of the rhamnose unit. Chlorosulfation of the selectively protected disaccharide 24, followed by reduction of the 4-chloro-4-deoxy compound 25, was used to prepare the 4-deoxy congener 27, while the C-6 and C-4' deoxy derivatives 31 and 23 were assembled from their respective pre-functionalized monosaccharide building blocks 29 and 19.