Glycosyl Disulfides: Novel Glycosylating Reagents with Flexible Aglycon Alteration

Chemoselective Solution- and Solid-Phase Synthesis of Disulfide-Linked Glycopeptides

Glycosylation of peptides and proteins is a widely employed strategy to mimic important post-translational modifications or to modulate the physicochemical properties of peptides to enhance their delivery. Furthermore, glycosylation via a sulfur atom imparts increased chemical and metabolic stability to the resulting glycoconjugates. Herein, we report a simple and chemoselective procedure to prepare disulfide-linked glycopeptides. Acetate-protected glycosylsulfenyl hydrazines are shown to be highly reactive with the thiol group of cysteine residues within peptides, both in solution and as part of conventional solid-phase peptide synthesis protocols. The efficiency of this glycosylation methodology with unprotected carbohydrates is also demonstrated, which avoids the need for deprotection steps and further extends its utility, with disulfide-linked glycopeptides produced in excellent yields. Given the importance of glycosylated peptides in structural glycobiology, pharmacology, and therapeutics, the methodology outlined provides easy access to disulfide-linked glycopeptides as molecules with multiple biological applications.

Influence of 3-Thio Substituents on Benzylidene-Directed Mannosylation. Isolation of a Bridged Pyridinium Ion and Effects of 3-O-Picolyl and 3-S-Picolyl Esters

The influence on glycosyl selectivity of substituting oxygen for sulfur at the 3-position of 4,6-O-benzylidene-protected mannopyranosyl thioglycosides is reported and varies considerably according to the protecting group employed at the 3-position. The substitution of a thioether at the 3-position for the more usual 3-O-benzyl ether results in a significant loss of selectivity. The installation of a 3-S-picolinyl thioether results in a complex reaction mixture, from which a stable seven-membered bridged bicyclic pyridinium ion is isolated, while the corresponding 3-O-picolinyl ether affords a highly α-selective coupling reaction. A 3-O-picolyl ester provides excellent β-selectivity, while the analogous 3-S-picolyl thioester gives a highly α-selective reaction. The best β-selectivity is seen with a 3-deoxy-3-(2-pyridinyldisulfanyl) system. These observations are discussed in terms of the influence of the various substituents on the central glycosyl triflate - ion pair equilibrium.

Glycosyl disulfides: importance, synthesis and application to chemical and biological systems

This review explores methodologies for the preparation of glycosyl disulfides, their utility as intermediates in carbohydrate synthesis, and evaluates their biological impact in glycoscience and beyond.

Indolylthio Glycosides As Effective Building Blocks for Chemical Glycosylation

The S-indolyl (SIn) anomeric moiety was investigated as a new leaving group that can be activated for chemical glycosylation under a variety of conditions including thiophilic and metal-assisted pathways. Understanding of the reaction pathways for the SIn moiety activation was achieved via the extended mechanistic study. Also reported is how the new SIn donors fit into selective activation strategies for oligosaccharide synthesis.

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.

Defining the Scope of the Acid-Catalyzed Glycosidation of Glycosyl Bromides

Following the recent discovery that traditional silver(I) oxide-promoted glycosidations of glycosyl bromides (Koenigs-Knorr reaction) can be greatly accelerated in the presence of catalytic TMSOTf, reported herein is a dedicated study of all major aspects of this reaction. A thorough investigation of numerous silver salts and careful refinement of the reaction conditions led to an improved mechanistic understanding. This, in turn, led to a significant reduction in the amount of silver salt required for these glycosylations. The progress of this reaction can be monitored by naked eye, and the completion of the reaction can be judged by the disappearance of characteristic dark color of Ag2 O. Further evidence on higher reactivity of benzoylated α-bromides in comparison to that of their benzylated counterparts has been acquired.

The Chemical Methods of Disulfide Bond Formation and Their Applications to Drug Conjugates

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The disulfide bond possesses unique chemical and biophysical properties which distinguish it as one of the key structural elements of bioactive proteins and peptides, important drugs and other materials. The chemo-selective synthesis of these structures and the exploration of their function have been of longstanding interest to the chemistry community. The past decades have witnessed significant progress in both areas. This review will summarize the historically established and recently developed chemical methods in disulfide bond formation. The discussion will also be extended to the use of the disulfide linkers in small molecules, and peptide- and protein-drug conjugates. It is hoped that the combined overview of the fundamental chemistries and applications to drug discovery will inspire creative thinking and stimulate future novel uses of these versatile chemistries.

Thiol-reactive thiosulfonate group containing copolymers: facile entry to disulfide-mediated polymer conjugation and redox-responsive functionalizable networks

Herein, we report a synthetic approach to thiol-reactive polymers containing methanethiosulfonate groups as side chains, and demonstrate their application in post-polymerization functionalization through reversible disulfide linkages.

Glycosyl selenoacetates: versatile building blocks for the preparation of stereoselective selenoglycosides and selenium linked disaccharides

Glycosyl selenoacetate derivatives were prepared by the treatment of glycosyl halide with potassium selenocyanate followed by acetylation of in situ generated glycosyl selenols in one pot. A variety of selenoglycosides and selenium linked disaccharide derivatives were prepared in very good to excellent yields using glycosyl selenoacetates as stable building blocks under mild reaction conditions.

A molecular engineering toolbox for the structural biologist

Exciting new technological developments have pushed the boundaries of structural biology, and have enabled studies of biological macromolecules and assemblies that would have been unthinkable not long ago. Yet, the enhanced capabilities of structural biologists to pry into the complex molecular world have also placed new demands on the abilities of protein engineers to reproduce this complexity into the test tube. With this challenge in mind, we review the contents of the modern molecular engineering toolbox that allow the manipulation of proteins in a site-specific and chemically well-defined fashion. Thus, we cover concepts related to the modification of cysteines and other natural amino acids, native chemical ligation, intein and sortase-based approaches, amber suppression, as well as chemical and enzymatic bio-conjugation strategies. We also describe how these tools can be used to aid methodology development in X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance, cryo-electron microscopy and in the studies of dynamic interactions. It is our hope that this monograph will inspire structural biologists and protein engineers alike to apply these tools to novel systems, and to enhance and broaden their scope to meet the outstanding challenges in understanding the molecular basis of cellular processes and disease.

OFox imidates as versatile glycosyl donors for chemical glycosylation

Previously we communicated 3,3-difluoroxindole (HOFox) - mediated glycosylations wherein 3,3-difluoro-3H-indol-2-yl (OFox) imidates were found to be key intermediates. Both the in situ synthesis from the corresponding glycosyl bromides and activation of the OFox imidates could be conducted in a regenerative fashion. Herein, we extend this study with the main focus on the synthesis of various OFox imidates and their investigation as glycosyl donors for chemical 1,2-cis and 1,2-trans glycosylation.

Convenient preparation of thioglycomimetics: S-glycosyl sulfenamides, sulfinamides and sulphonamides

S-Glycosyl sulfenamide derivatives were rapidly prepared from glycosyl thiols using N-bromosuccinimide or N-chlorosuccinimide. Sulfenamide derivatives were oxidized to corresponding sulfinamides and sulfonamides.

Remote Electronic Effects by Ether Protecting Groups Fine-Tune Glycosyl Donor Reactivity

It was established that para-substituted benzyl ether protecting groups affect the reactivity of glycosyl donors of the thioglycoside type with the N-iodosuccinimide/triflic acid promoter system. Having electron donating p-methoxybenzyl ether (PMB) groups increased the reactivity of the donor in comparison to having electron withdrawing p-chloro (PClB) or p-cyanobenzyl ether (PCNB) protecting groups, which decreased the reactivity of the glycosyl donor relative to the parent benzyl ether (Bn) protected glycosyl donor. These findings were used to perform the first armed-disarmed coupling between two benzylated glucosyl donors by tuning their reactivity. In addition, the present work describes a highly efficient palladium catalyzed multiple cyanation and methoxylation of p-chlorobenzyl protected thioglycosides. The results of this paper regarding both the different electron withdrawing properties of various benzyl ethers and the efficient and multiple protecting group transformations are applicable in general organic chemistry and not restricted to carbohydrate chemistry.

Novel strategies for the synthesis of unsymmetrical glycosyl disulfides

Novel strategies for the efficient synthesis of unsymmetrical glycosyl disulfides are reported. Glycosyl disulfides are increasingly important as glycomimetics and molecular probes in glycobiology. Sialosyl disulfides are synthesised directly from the chlorosialoside Neu5Ac2Cl, proceeding via a thiol-disulfide exchange reaction between the sialosyl thiolate and symmetrical disulfides. This methodology was adapted and found to be successfully applicable to the synthesis of unsymmetrical glucosyl disulfides under mild conditions.

Glycosyldiselenides as lectin ligands detectable by NMR in biofluids

The ability of glycosyldiselenides to act as lectin ligands and their selective detection in plasma by (77)Se NMR is reported.

Thiol–Thiosulfonate Chemistry in Polymer Science: Simple Functionalization of Polymers via Disulfide Linkages

Herein we highlight the reaction of thiols with thiosulfonates yielding asymmetric disulfides. The chapter begins with an overview of the synthesis and reactivity of functional thiosulfonates and is followed by a review of polymeric thiosulfonates. We then emphasize the novel use of thiosulfonates as trapping/functionalization agents for macromolecular thiols obtained from parent (co)polymers prepared by reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) radical polymerization. We also note how such facile disulfide‐forming chemistries can be readily employed simultaneously with other highly efficient coupling chemistries with an emphasis on the concurrent reaction of activated esters with amines in the presence of thiosulfonates. Finally, we discuss the use of methyl disulfide (SSMe) functional/end‐modified (co)polymers as reagents for the formation of polymeric self‐assembled monolayers (polymer brushes) on metal surfaces such as nanoparticles and quantum dots.

An α-selective, visible light photocatalytic glycosylation of alcohols with selenoglycosides

Exceptionally mild procedures for the visible light photocatalytic activation of selenoglycoside donors in the presence of alcohol acceptors have been developed. This process is demonstrated with both 1-phenylselenyl-2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl glucoside (1) and 1-phenylselenyl-2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl galactoside (2). Catalysis is effected with both metal (Ru(bpy)3) and organocatalysts (diphenyldiselenide). Reactions afford, in all cases, primarily the α-anomers with selectivities that vary with solvent. This represents the first example of a visible light-promoted O-glycosylation.

A new synthetic approach toward bacterial transglycosylase substrates, Lipid II and Lipid IV

A new synthetic approach toward the bacterial transglycosylase substrates, Lipid II (1) and Lipid IV (2), is described. The key disaccharide was synthesized using the concept of relative reactivity value (RRV) and elaborated to Lipid II and Lipid IV by conjugation with the appropriate oligopeptides and pyrophosphate lipids. Interestingly, the results from our HPLC-based functional TGase assay suggested Lipid IV has a higher affinity for the enzyme than Lipid II.

Reductive metalation of cyclic and acyclic pseudopeptidic bis-disulfides and back conversion of the resulting diamidato/dithiolato complexes to bis-disulfides

Cyclic and acyclic pseudopeptidic bis-disulfides built on an o-phenylene diamine scaffold were prepared: (N(2)H(2)S(2))(2), 1a, N(2)H(2)(S-SCH(3))(2), 1b, and N(2)H(2)(S-StBu)(2), 1c. Reductive metalation of these disulfides with (PF(6))[Cu(CH(3)CN)(4)] in the presence of Et(4)NOH as a base, or with (Et(4)N)[Fe(SEt)(4)] and Et(4)NCl, yields the corresponding diamidato/dithiolato copper(III) or iron(III) complex, (Et(4)N)[Cu(N(2)S(2))], 2, or (Et(4)N)(2)[Fe(N(2)S(2))Cl], 5. These complexes display characteristics similar to those previously described in the literature. The mechanism of the metalation with copper has been investigated by X-band electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy at 10 K. After metalation of the bis-disulfide 1c and deprotonation of the amide nitrogens, the reductive cleavage of the S-S bonds occurs by two one-electron transfers leading to the intermediate formation of a copper(II) complex and a thyil radical. Complexes 2 and 5 can be converted back to the cyclic bis-disulfide 1a with iodine in an 80% yield. Reaction of 5 with iodine in the presence of CH(3)S-SCH(3) affords a 1/1 mixture of the acyclic N(2)H(2)(S-SCH(3))(2) disulfide 1b and cyclic bis-disulfide 1a. From 2, the reaction was monitored by (1)H NMR and gives 1b as major product. While there is no reaction of 2 or 5 with tBuS-StBu and iodine, reaction with an excess of tBuSI affords quantitatively the di-tert-butyl disulfide 1c. To assess the role of the Cu(III) oxidation state, control experiments were carried out under strictly anaerobic conditions with the copper(II) complex, (Et(4)N)(2)[Cu(N(2)S(2))], 6. Complex 6 is oxidized to 2 by iodine, and it reacts with an excess of tBuSI, yielding 1c as final product, through the intermediate formation of complex 2.

Total synthesis of the Bacteroides fragilis zwitterionic polysaccharide A1 repeating unit

Nearly all bacteria capsular polysaccharides are T-cell-independent antigens that do not promote immunoglobulin class switching from IgM to IgG nor memory responses. In contrast, zwitterionic polysaccharides activate T-cell-dependent immune responses by major histocompatability complex class II presentation, a mechanism previously believed to be reserved for peptidic antigens. The best studied zwitterionic polysaccharide, polysaccharide A1 (PS A1) is found on the capsule of the commensal bacteria Bacteroides fragilis . Its potent immunomodulatory properties have been linked to postoperative intra-abdominal abscess formation. Here, we report the synthesis of the PS A1 tetrasaccharide repeating unit (2) as a tool to investigate the biological role of this polysaccharide. A modular synthetic strategy originating from the reducing end of the PS A1 repeating unit was unsuccessful and illustrated the limitations of glycosylation reactions between highly armed glycosylating agents and poor nucleophiles. Thus, a [3 + 1] glycosylation relying on trisaccharide 5 and pyruvalated galactose 6 was used to complete the first total synthesis of the PS A1 repeating unit (2).