Intramolecular C-glycosylation of 2-O-benzylated pentenyl mannopyranosides: remarkable 1,2-trans stereoselectivity

The IDCP-promoted intramolecular C-glycosylation of pentenyl α-mannopyranosides carrying, at O-2, an activated benzyl group gave, unexpectedly, the 1,2-trans-fused bicyclic product which corresponds to an α-C-aryl mannopyranose derivative. This remarkable, strained C-glycosyl compound was rapidly epimerized to the more stable 1,2-cis product on treatment with BF₃·Et₂O. The IDCP-reaction product could be elaborated into a 2-(α-C-mannopyranosyl)-3,4,5-trimethoxybenzyl alcohol derivative.