Unexpected stereochemical outcome of activated 4,6-O-benzylidene derivatives of the 2-deoxy-2-trichloroacetamido-D-galacto series in glycosylation reactions during the synthesis of a chondroitin 6-sulfate trisaccharide methyl glycoside

Synthesis and interaction with growth factors of sulfated oligosaccharides containing an anomeric fluorinated tail

Compounds that mimic the biological properties of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and can be more easily prepared than the native GAG oligosaccharides are highly demanded. Here, we present the synthesis of sulfated oligosaccharides displaying a perfluorinated aliphatic tag at the reducing end as GAG mimetics. The preparation of these molecules was greatly facilitated by the presence of the fluorinated tail since the reaction intermediates were isolated by simple fluorous solid-phase extraction. Fluorescence polarization competition assays indicated that the synthesized oligosaccharides interacted with two heparin-binding growth factors, midkine (MK) and FGF-2, showing higher binding affinities than the natural oligosaccharides, and can be therefore considered as useful GAG mimetics. Moreover, NMR experiments showed that the 3D structure of these compounds is similar to that of the native sequences, in terms of sugar ring and glycosidic linkage conformations. Finally, we also demonstrated that these derivatives are able to block the MK-stimulating effect on NIH3T3 cells growth.

Multigram scale preparation of a semi-synthetic N-trifluoroacetyl protected chondroitin disaccharide building block: Towards the stereoselective synthesis of chondroitin sulfates disaccharides

The chemoselective N-trifluoroacetylation of a chondroitin disaccharide obtained from controlled acid hydrolysis of a commercially available polymeric chondroitin sulfate is reported for the first time. We also described the multi-gram scale synthesis of a donor block having a benzylidene moiety further used for the expeditious and stereocontrolled synthesis of glycosides fitted with various aglycons. Stereocontrolled β-glycosylation, sulfation and efficient N-TFA deprotection steps afforded the desired disaccharides in good yields.

Selective Acetylation of Non-anomeric Groups of per-O-Trimethylsilylated Sugars

Selective modification of the hydroxyl groups of sugars has been a long-standing challenge due to their proximate relative reactivity. Herein, we report a TMSOTf-catalyzed selective acetylation of the non-anomeric hydroxyl groups of several per-O-TMS-protected sugar substrates while leaving their anomeric group unaffected. In addition to standing versatile by itself, the anomeric O-TMS group left intact can be functionalized to afford key sugar precursors such as imidate donors, which could otherwise be synthesized via a stepwise anomeric deprotection-functionalization procedure.

Synthesis of oligosaccharides of the linkage region of proteoglycans using regioselective glycosylation

Proteoglycans (PGs) are complex macromolecules that are composed of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains covalently attached to a core protein through a tetrasaccharide linker. Biosynthesis of PGs is complex and involves a large number of glycosyltranferases. We report herein for the first time the synthesis of a collection of various sulfoforms of the disaccharide GlcA-1,3-β-d-Gal and trisaccharides GlcNAc-1,4-α-d-GlcA-1,3-β-d-Gal and GalNAc-1,4-β-d-GlcA-1,3-β-d-Gal using a regioselective glycosylation. Preliminary results on the impact of sulfation of these disaccharides upon recombinant chondroitin sulfate N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase-1 (CSGalNAcT-1) involved in chondroitin sulfate chain initiation is also reported.

Unexpected loss of stereoselectivity in glycosylation reactions during the synthesis of chondroitin sulfate oligosaccharides

Here, we present an exploratory study on the fluorous-assisted synthesis of chondroitin sulfate (CS) oligosaccharides. Following this approach, a CS tetrasaccharide was prepared. However, in contrast to our previous results, a significant loss of β-selectivity was observed in [2 + 2] glycosylations involving N-trifluoroacetyl-protected D-galactosamine donors and D-glucuronic acid (GlcA) acceptors. These results, together with those obtained from experiments employing model monosaccharide building blocks, highlight the impact of the glycosyl acceptor structure on the stereoselectivity of glycosylation reactions. Our study provides useful data about the substitution pattern of GlcA units for the efficient synthesis of CS oligomers.

Synthesis of Azide-Modified Chondroitin Sulfate Precursors: Substrates for "Click"- Conjugation with Fluorescent Labels and Oligonucleotides

Azidopropyl-modified precursors of chondroitin sulfate (CS) tetrasaccharides have been synthesized, which, after facile conversion to final CS structures, may be conjugated with alkyne-modified target compounds by a one-pot “click”-ligation. RP HPLC was used for the monitoring of the key reaction steps (protecting group manipulation and sulfation) and purification of the CS precursors (as partially protected form, bearing the O-Lev, O-benzoyl, and N-trichloroacetyl groups and methyl esters). Subsequent treatments with aqueous NaOH, concentrated ammonia, and acetic anhydride (i.e., global deprotection and acetylation of the galactosamine units) converted the precursors to final CS structures. The azidopropyl group was exposed to a strain-promoted azide–alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC) with a dibenzylcyclooctyne-modified carboxyrhodamine dye to give labeled CSs. Conjugation with a 5′-cyclooctyne-modified oligonucleotide was additionally carried out to show the applicability of the precursors for the synthesis of biomolecular hybrids.

Synthetic and semi-synthetic approaches to unprotected N-glycan oxazolines

N-Glycan oxazolines have found widespread use as activated donor substrates for endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase (ENGase) enzymes, an important application that has correspondingly stimulated interest in their production, both by total synthesis and by semi-synthesis using oligosaccharides isolated from natural sources. Amongst the many synthetic approaches reported, the majority rely on the fabrication (either by total synthesis, or semi-synthesis from locust bean gum) of a key Manβ(1-4)GlcNAc disaccharide, which can then be elaborated at the 3- and 6-positions of the mannose unit using standard glycosylation chemistry. Early approaches subsequently relied on the Lewis acid catalysed conversion of peracetylated N-glycan oligosaccharides produced in this manner into their corresponding oxazolines, followed by global deprotection. However, a key breakthrough in the field has been the development by Shoda of 2-chloro-1,3-dimethylimidazolinium chloride (DMC), and related reagents, which can direct convert an oligosaccharide with a 2-acetamido sugar at the reducing terminus directly into the corresponding oxazoline in water. Therefore, oxazoline formation can now be achieved in water as the final step of any synthetic sequence, obviating the need for any further protecting group manipulations, and simplifying synthetic strategies. As an alternative to total synthesis, significant quantities of several structurally complicated N-glycans can be isolated from natural sources, such as egg yolks and soy bean flour. Enzymatic transformations of these materials, in concert with DMC-mediated oxazoline formation as a final step, allow access to a selection of N-glycan oxazoline structures both in larger quantities and in a more expedient fashion than is achievable by total synthesis.

Efficient and stereocontrolled synthesis of chondroitin mono- and disaccharide linked to variously sulfated biotinylated trisaccharides of the linkage region of proteoglycans

Efficient and stereocontrolled preparation of a library of variously sulfated biotinylated tetra- and pentasaccharides possessing the backbone of the partial linkage region plus the first chondroitin sulfate mono- or disaccharide unit (d-GlcA)n-β-d-(1,3)-GalNAc-β-d-(1,4)-GlcA-β-d-(1,3)-Gal-β-d-(1,3)-Gal (n = 0 or 1) is reported herein for the first time. The synthesis of these compounds was achieved using common key intermediates and a disaccharide building block obtained by semisynthesis. Stereoselective glycosylation, selective protection/deprotection steps, efficient reduction of the N-trichloroacetyl group into the corresponding N-acetyl group, efficient sulfation strategy, deprotection and biotinylation afforded target oligomers in good yield with high purity.

Probing the influence of a 4,6-O-acetal on the reactivity of galactopyranosyl donors: verification of the disarming influence of the trans-gauche conformation of C5-C6 bonds

The effect of a 4,6-O-alkylidene acetal on the rate of acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of methyl galactopyranosides and of spontaneous hydrolysis of 2,4-dinitrophenyl galactopyranosides has been studied through the synthesis and hydrolysis of analogs in which O6 is replaced by a methoxymethylene unit in which the methoxy group adopts either an equatorial or an axial position according to the configuration. Consistent with earlier studies under both acid-catalyzed and spontaneous hydrolysis conditions, the alkylidene acetal, or its 7-carba analog, retards hydrolysis with respect to comparable systems lacking the cyclic protecting group. The configuration at C6 in the 7-carba analogs does not influence the rate of acid-catalyzed hydrolysis but has a minor influence on the rate of spontaneous hydrolysis of the 2,4-dinitrophenyl galactosides, confirming earlier studies on the role played by the hydroxymethyl group conformation on glycoside reactivity. The benzylidene acetal is found to stabilize the α-anomer of galactopyranose derivatives relative to monocyclic analogs. Reasons for the α-selectivity of 4,6-O-benzylidene-protected galactopyranosyl donors bearing neighboring group-active protecting groups at O2 are discussed.

Synthesis of chondroitin/dermatan sulfate-like oligosaccharides and evaluation of their protein affinity by fluorescence polarization

Here, we present a novel approach for the chemical synthesis of chondroitin and dermatan sulfate oligosaccharides. A key point of this strategy is the preparation and use of an N-trifluoroacetyl galactosamine building block containing a 4,6-O-di-tert-butylsilylene group. Glycosylation reactions proceeded in good yields (74-91%) with our protecting group distribution. Using this approach, we have synthesized, for the first time, a chondroitin/dermatan sulfate-like tetrasaccharide that contains both types of uronic acids, D-glucuronic and L-iduronic acid. Moreover, we have employed a fluorescence polarization competition assay to evaluate the interactions between the synthesized oligosaccharides and FGF-2 (basic fibroblast growth factor). Our results show that this method, using standard instrumentation and minimal sample consumption, is a powerful tool for the rapid analysis of the glycosaminoglycan affinity for proteins in solution.

Synthetic and semi-synthetic chondroitin sulfate oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, and glycomimetics

Chondroitin sulfate (CS) is a sulfated polysaccharide involved in a myriad of biological processes. Due to the variable sulfation pattern of CS polymer chains, the need to study in detail structure-activity relationships regarding CS biomedical features has provoked much interest in obtaining synthetic CS species. This paper reviews two decades of synthetic and semi-synthetic CS oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, and glycomimetics obtained by chemical, chemoenzymatic, enzymatic, and microbiological-chemical strategies.

Synthesis of Glycosides of Glucuronic, Galacturonic and Mannuronic Acids: An Overview

Uronic acids are carbohydrates present in relevant biologically active compounds. Most of the latter are glycosides or oligosaccharides linked by their anomeric carbon, so their synthesis requires glycoside-bond formation. The activation of this anomeric center remains difficult due to the presence of the electron-withdrawing C-5 carboxylic group. Herein we present an overview of glucuronidation, mannuronidation and galacturonidation reactions, including syntheses of prodrugs, oligosaccharides and stereochemical aspects.

Bishydrazide glycoconjugates for lectin recognition and capture of bacterial pathogens

Bishydrazides are versatile linkers for attaching glycans to substrates for lectin binding and pathogen detection schemes. The α,ω-bishydrazides of carboxymethylated hexa(ethylene glycol) (4) can be conjugated at one end to unprotected oligosaccharides, then attached onto carrier proteins, tethered onto activated carboxyl-terminated surfaces, or functionalized with a photoactive cross-linking agent for lithographic patterning. Glycoconjugates of bishydrazide 4 can also be converted into dithiocarbamates (DTCs) by treatment with CS(2) under mild conditions, for attachment onto gold substrates. The immobilized glycans serve as recognition elements for cell-surface lectins and enable the detection and capture of bacterial pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa by their adsorption onto micropatterned substrates. A detection limit of 10³ cfu/mL is demonstrated, using a recently introduced method based on optical pattern recognition.

From polymer to size-defined oligomers: a highly divergent and stereocontrolled construction of chondroitin sulfate A, C, D, E, K, L, and M oligomers from a single precursor: part 2

An efficient, stereocontrolled, and highly divergent approach for the preparation of oligomers of chondroitin sulfate (CS) A, C, D, E, K, L, and M variants, starting from a single precursor easily obtained by semisynthesis from abundant natural polymer is reported for the first time. Common intermediates were designed that allowed the straightforward construction of O-sulfonated species either on the D-galactosamine unit (CS-A, -C, and -E) or on both D-glucuronic acid and D-galactosamine units (CS-D and CS-K, -L, and -M). This strategy represents a successful improvement and brings a definitive answer toward the synthesis of such complex molecules with numerous relevant biological functions.

Uronic acids in oligosaccharide and glycoconjugate synthesis

This chapter describes the assembly of uronic acid containing oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates. Two strategies are available to access these target molecules, namely a pre-glycosylation oxidation approach, in which uronic acid building blocks are used, and a post-glycosylation oxidation strategy, which employs an oxidation step after the assembly of the oligosaccharide chain. Because uronic acid building blocks are generally considered to be less reactive than their non-oxidized counterparts, the latter approach has found most application in carbohydrate synthesis. With the aid of selected examples of recent syntheses of biologically relevant oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates, the reactivity of different uronic acid building blocks is evaluated. From these examples it is apparent that the generally assumed low reactivity of uronic acids does not a priori rule out an efficient assembly of these target compounds. Besides influencing the reactivity of a given pyranoside, the C-5 carboxylic acid function can also have a profound effect on the stereochemical course of a glycosylation reaction, which can be exploited in the stereoselective formation of glycosidic bonds.

Ganglioside GQ1b: efficient total synthesis and the expansion to synthetic derivatives to elucidate its biological roles

The convergent total synthesis of ganglioside GQ1b based on the "cassette approach" between the nonreducing end GQ1b-core heptasaccharide and glucosylceramide building blocks was accomplished in high overall yield. The use of a sialylalpha(2-->8)sialylalpha(2-->3)galactose sequence as the key building block enhanced the efficiency of the glycan assembly and led to preparative-scale synthesis readily applicable for large-scale preparation. In addition, a judicious choice of p-methoxybenzyl protecting groups on glucosylceramide provided a solution to the previous synthetic problems, including a decrease in the yield of the deprotection steps, and led to elevation of the total yield. Furthermore, unnatural-type GQ1b derivatives were synthesized systematically in good yields by capitalizing on a similar approach in order to elucidate their biological roles.

Pre-activation-based one-pot synthesis of an alpha-(2,3)-sialylated core-fucosylated complex type bi-antennary N-glycan dodecasaccharide

Synthesis of N-glycans is of high current interests due to their important biological properties. A highly efficient convergent strategy based on the pre-activation method for assembly of the complex type core fucosylated bi-antennary N-glycan dodecasaccharide has been developed. Retrosynthetically, this extremely challenging target is broken down to three modules: a sialyl disaccharide, a glucosamine building block and a hexasaccharide diol acceptor. The sialyl disaccharide was easily obtained by selective activation of a new 5-N-trichloroacetyl protected sialyl donor in the presence of a thiogalactoside acceptor. The hexasaccharide diol module was produced by double mannosylation of a fucosylated tetrasaccharide acceptor, which in turn was generated by glycosylation of a alpha-fucosylated disaccharide with a beta-mannose containing disaccharide donor. The union of the three modules was performed in one-pot giving the fully protected dodecasaccharide in high yield. This synthesis is characterized by minimum protective group and aglycon adjustment on oligosaccharide intermediates, thus greatly enhancing the overall synthetic efficiency. The modular feature of this strategy suggests that this method can be readily adapted to the synthesis of a wide variety of N-glycan structures.

An expeditious preparation of various sulfoforms of the disaccharide β-d-Galp-(1→3)-d-Galp, a partial structure of the linkage region of proteoglycans, as their 4-methoxyphenyl β-d-glycosides

An expeditious preparation of various sulfoforms of the disaccharide 4-methoxyphenyl O-(beta-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1-->3)-beta-D-galactopyranoside, namely the 4(I)- and 6(I)-sulfate, the 4(II)- and 6(II)-sulfate, and the 6(I),6(II)-disulfate derivatives, is reported for the first time. These molecules will be useful for the study of the early steps of the biosynthesis and sorting of proteoglycans. All target compounds were readily obtained from the common key intermediate 4-methoxyphenyl O-(2,3-di-O-benzoyl-4,6-di-O-levulinoyl-beta-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1-->3)-2-O-benzoyl-4,6-O-benzylidene-beta-D-galactopyranoside, easily prepared from the common starting material 4-methoxyphenyl 4,6-O-benzylidene-beta-D-galactopyranoside. Noticeable is the possible preparation of the different 6-O-sulfonated species through a one-pot procedure starting from a tetrol precursor.

Syntheses of the 4-nitrophenyl glycosides of hyalobiuronic acid and chondrosine

4-Nitrophenyl [sodium beta-D-glucopyranosyluronate]-(1-->3)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1) and 4-nitrophenyl [sodium beta-D-glucopyranosyluronate]-(1-->3)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-galactopyranoside (2) were prepared from the zwitterions hyalobiuronic acid [beta-D-glucopyranuronic acid-(1-->3)-2-amino-2-deoxy-D-glucopyranose] and chondrosine [beta-D-glucopyranuronic acid-(1-->3)-2-amino-2-deoxy-D-galactopyranose], respectively. Compounds 1 and 2 were not hydrolysed by bovine testicular hyaluronidase.

An access to various sulfation patterns in dermatan sulfate: chemical syntheses of sulfoforms of trisaccharide methyl glycosides

The syntheses are reported for the first time of alpha-L-IdopA2SO(3)-(1-->3)-beta-D-GalpNAc4SO(3)-(1-->4)-alpha-L-IdopA2SO(3)-(1-->OMe), its disulfated analogue alpha-L-IdopA2SO(3)-(1-->3)-beta-D-GalpNAc-(1-->4)-alpha-L-IdopA2SO(3)-(1-->OMe), and of beta-D-GalpNAc4SO(3)-(1-->4)-alpha-L-IdopA2SO(3)-(1-->3)-beta-D-GalpNAc4SO(3)-(1-->OMe), which represent structural fragments of dermatan sulfate, unavailable directly by chemical or enzymatic degradation of the glycosaminoglycan polymer. These molecules were readily obtained from a pair of key disaccharide intermediates, in which the relative difference of stability of the D-GalNAc 4-hydroxy protecting groups (acetate or pivalate) toward saponification conditions allowed access to various sulfoforms from a common precursor. For the preparation of these blocks, the 4-O-pivaloyl-D-galacto moiety was readily obtained through a one-pot stereospecific intramolecular nucleophilic displacement on an easily available 3-O-pivaloyl-D-gluco precursor, and the L-IdoA moiety through selective radical oxidation at C-6 of a L-ido 4,6-diol derivative with oxoammonium salts.

Study of glycosylation with N-trichloroacetyl-D-glucosamine derivatives in the syntheses of the spacer-armed pentasaccharides sialyl lacto-N-neotetraose and sialyl lacto-N-tetraose, their fragments, and analogues

The syntheses of 2-aminoethyl glycosides of the pentasaccharides Neu5Ac-alpha(2-->3)-Gal-beta(1-->4)-GlcNAc-beta(1-->3)-Gal-beta(1-->4)-Glc and Neu5Ac-alpha(2-->3)-Gal-beta(1-->3)-GlcNAc-beta(1-->3)-Gal-beta(1-->4)-Glc, their asialo di-, tri-, and tetrasaccharide fragments, and analogues included a systematic study of glycosylation with variously protected mono- and disaccharide donors derived from N-trichloroacetyl-D-glucosamine of galactose, lactose, and lactosamine glycosyl acceptors bearing benzoyl protection around the OH group to be glycosylated. Despite the low reactivity of these acceptors, stereospecificity and good to excellent yields were obtained with NIS-TfOH-activated thioglycoside donors of such type, or with AgOTf-activated glycosyl bromides, while other promotors, as well as a trichloroacetimidate donor, were less effective, and a beta-acetate donor was inactive. In NIS-TfOH-promoted glycosylation with the thioglycosides, the use of TfOH in catalytic amount led to rapid formation of the corresponding oxazoline, but the quantity of TfOH necessary for further efficient coupling with an acceptor depended on the reactivity of the donor, varying from 0.07 equiv for a 3,6-di-O-benzylated monosaccharide derivative to 2.1 equiv for a peracetylated disaccharide one. In the glycosylation products, the N-trichloroacetyl group was easily converted into N-acetyl by alkaline hydrolysis followed by N-acetylation.

Syntheses of beta-D-GalpNAc4SO3-(1-->4)-L-IdopA2SO3, a disaccharide fragment of dermatan sulfate, and of its methyl alpha-L-glycoside derivative

The syntheses of sodium (sodium 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-sulfonato-beta-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1-->4)-(sodium 2-O-sulfonato-L-idopyran)uronate, a disaccharide fragment of dermatan sulfate, and of its methyl alpha-L-glycoside derivative are reported for the first time. The use of 4-O-acetyl-3,6-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-2-trichloroacetamido-1-O-trichloroacetimidoyl-alpha-D-galactopyranose, readily prepared from a D-gluco precursor, allowed the stereocontrolled and high yielding coupling with the low reactive 4-hydroxyl group of L-iduronic acid ester derivatives. Classical transformation of the disaccharide products into the target molecules was achieved in high yield.

Syntheses of chondroitin 4- and 6-sulfate pentasaccharide derivatives having a methyl beta-D-glucopyranosiduronic acid at the reducing end

The syntheses are reported of beta-D-GlcpA-(1-->3)-beta-D-GalpNAc-(1-->4)-beta-D-GlcpA-(1- ->3)-beta-D-GalpNAc-(1-->4)-beta-D-GlcpA-(1-->OMe), O-sulfonated at C-4 or C-6 of the aminosugar moieties, which represent structural elements of chondroitin 4- and 6-sulfate proteoglycans. Starting from a synthetic disaccharide glycosyl acceptor, the stepwise or blockwise construction of the sugar backbone with appropriate synthons led to a pentasaccharide tetraol, which was used as a common intermediate. Selective 6-O-sulfonation of this tetraol, followed by saponification, gave the 6-sulfate derivative, whereas selective 6-O-benzoylation, followed by O-sulfonation and saponification, afforded the 4-sulfate derivative as their sodium salts.