A practical synthesis of 2-O-substituted beta-D-galactopyranosyl (1-->4) linked di- and tri-saccharides as specific acceptors for (1-->3)-alpha-L-fucosyltransferase

Synthesis of a pentasaccharide fragment of Polysaccharide II of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Stereocontrolled, stepwise synthesis of decyl glycosides of alpha-(1-->2)-linked di- to pentaglucosides (1-5) is described; these constitute fragments of Polysaccharide II of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Phenyl 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-O-benzyl-1-thio-alpha-D- glucopyranoside (7) was used as the single key intermediate, obtained from 1,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-2-O-benzyl-beta-D-glucopyranose (6) and PhSSiMe3. Halogenolysis of 7 afforded the isolated beta bromide (10) and beta chloride (13). Solvolysis of 10 with decanol without heavy metal salts gave decyl 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-O-benzyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (14) in a highly stereoselective reaction, in high yield. Subsequent, iterative hydrogenolytic removal of the O-benzyl group and glycosylation with the beta-chloride 13 under catalysis by silver salts afforded the protected di- to penta-saccharide glycosides 16, 19, 21, and 23, which were conventionally deblocked.