Total synthesis of sialylated and sulfated oligosaccharide chains from respiratory mucins

The total syntheses of several complex oligosaccharide moieties that occur in the core structure of sulfated mucins are reported. A trisaccharide acceptor was obtained through regio- and stereoselective sialylation of methyl (6-O-pivaloyl-beta-D-galactopyanosyl)(1-->3)-4,6-O-benzylidene-2-a cetamido-2-deoxy-alpha-D-galactopyranoside with a novel sialyl donor. A tetrasaccharide, pentasaccharide, and hexasaccharide were constructed in predictable and controlled manner with high regio- and stereoselectivity after the successful preparation and employment of a disaccharide donor, trisaccharide donor, disaccharide acceptor, and trisaccharide acceptor building blocks. Finally, a mild oxidative cleaving method was adopted for the selective removal of 2-naphthylmethyl (NAP) in the presence of benzyl groups.     

Simplifying oligosaccharide synthesis: efficient synthesis of lactosamine and siaylated lactosamine oligosaccharide donors

A practical sequence is described for converting d-glucosamine into peracetylated Gal(beta-1,4)GlcNTroc(beta1-S)Ph and Neu5Ac(alpha-2,3)Gal(beta-1,4)GlcNTroc(beta1-S)Ph building blocks using a synthetic strategy based on chemoenzymatic oligosaccharide synthesis. The known trichloroethoxycarbonyl, N-Troc, protecting group was selected as a suitable protecting group for both enzymatic and chemical reaction conditions. These oligosaccharide building blocks proved effective donors for the beta-selective glycosylation of the unreactive OH-3 of a polymeric PEG-bound acceptor and for the axial OH-2 of a mannose acceptor in good yields. The resulting complex oligosaccharides are useful for vaccine and pharmaceutical applications.     

On the metalation of phenolic compounds: Ready access to highly substituted phenols.

The direct metalation of several p-hydroxybenzylmethyl ethers has been studied. Those substrates possesing an electron-withdrawing group in a 1,3 relationship with the coordinating (-CH₂OMe) group underwent regioselective metalation by the action of n-BuLi/THF. Highly substituted phenols can thus be readly prepared.     

Ready access to 3-amino-2,3-dideoxysugars via regio- and stereo-selective tandem hydroamination-glycosylation of glycals

A highly stereoselective BF(3)·OEt(2)-promoted tandem hydroamination-glycosylation on a glycal scaffold has been developed to form 3-amino-2,3-dideoxysugars in a one-pot procedure. This efficient multicomponent reaction protocol offers simplicity and general applicability to a broad range of variations on each component.     

On papaver bracteatum—XIV: Ready access to benzylidene phthalimidine compounds from rhoeadine alkaloid-derived nitriles

The $\text{B}\text{D}$trans lactole alpinigenine (1a) isolated from Papaver bracteatum Lindl. was shown to form the oxime 2a which in turn was transformed to the nitrile 3a by dehydration, the methiodide 4a, and — by treatment with alkali under mild conditions — to the benzylidene phthalimidine derivative 5a, whose structure was elucidated by spectral analysis as well as oxidative fragmentation into 6 and 7.The unique reaction leading to 5a apparently is bound with certain structural prerequisites inherent to 3a, including stereochemistry. When cis-alpinigenine (1b) was subjected to the same sequence, little of 5a accordingly could be obtained, and even none of any phthalimidine was formed from the non-acetoxylated nitrile 11.     

Ready access to organoiodides: Practical hydroiodination and double-iodination of carbon-carbon unsaturated bonds with I2

By using I₂ or I₂/H₃PO₃ system, various alkenes and alkynes were converted to the corresponding alkyl and alkenyl iodides in good yields. In the presence of I₂, alkynes could be di-iodinated using H₂O as the solvent in air at room temperature. This method also features the simple work-up procedure since the pure product could be obtained by extraction. Additionally, for the first time, combining with the non-toxic and cheap phosphonic acid H₃PO₃, alkenes and alkynes were also hydroiodinated successfully, which provides a simple and practical approach for synthesis of organoiodides.     

Ready access to enantiopure 5-substituted-3-pyrrolin-2-ones from N-benzyl-2,3-O-isopropylidene-d-glyceraldehyde nitrone (BIGN)

The reaction of the lithiated salt of methyl propiolate with N-benzyl-2,3-O-isopropylidene-d-glyceraldehyde nitrone (BIGN) afforded the corresponding propargyl hydroxylamines in a stereocontrolled way depending on the nature of the Lewis acid used as an additive. Subsequent reduction of the obtained hydroxylamines provided chiral 5-substituted-3-pyrrolin-2-ones, in high overall yields.     

O-Glycosyl trichloroacetimidates bearing Fmoc as temporary hydroxy protecting group: a new access to solid-phase oligosaccharide synthesis

Different O-glycosyl trichloroacetimidates bearing base sensitive Fmoc protected hydroxy groups were efficiently prepared with CCl(3)CN using a catalytic amount of sodium hydride. The resulting glycosyl donors were engaged in glycosylation reactions both in solution and on solid support with a new ester-type linker with good results. In both approaches, Fmoc groups were afterward quantitatively cleaved using mild basic conditions.     

Anomeric reactivity-based one-pot oligosaccharide synthesis: a rapid route to oligosaccharide libraries

The assembly of an oligosaccharide library has been achieved in a practical and efficient manner employing a' one-pot sequential approach. With the help of the anomeric reactivity values of thioglycosides, using a thioglycoside (mono- or disaccharide) with one free hydroxyl group as acceptor and donor coupled with another fully protected thioglycoside, a di- or trisaccharide is selectively formed without self-condensation and subsequently reacted in situ with an anomerically inactive glycoside (mono- or disaccharide) to form a tri- or tetrasaccharide in high overall yield. The approach enables the rapid assembly of 33 linear or branched fully protected oligosaccharides using designed building blocks. These fully protected oligosaccharides have been partially or completely deprotected to create 29 more structures to further increase the diversity of the library.     

Utilization of glycosyltransferases to change oligosaccharide structures

Carbohydrates on cell surfaces are important biomolecules in various biological recognition processes. Elucidation of the biological roles of complex oligosaccharides necessitates an efficient methodology to synthesize these compounds and their analogs. Enzymatic synthesis renders itself to be useful in the construction of an oligosaccharide structure owing to its mild reaction condition, high regio- and stereoselectivity. This review article focuses on the recent progress in oligosaccharide syntheses catalyzed by glycosyltransferases, namely sialyltransferase, galactosyltransferase, fucosyltransferase, andN-acetylglucosaminyltransferase. A survey of the latest patent and literature related to this field is also included.     

Lactonization-mediated glycosylations and their application to oligosaccharide synthesis

The concept of lactonization-mediated and related glycosylations led us to develop new methods of glycosylation such as the 2'-carboxybenzyl (CB) glycoside method, the glycosyl pentenoate/phenylselenyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (PhSeOTf) method, and the glycosyl aryl phthalate method. Highly stereoselective beta-mannopyranosylations were achieved by employing the CB glycoside and the glycosyl pentenoate/PhSeOTf methods. The CB glycoside method was also utilized for stereoselective 2-deoxyglycosylation, beta-arabinofuranosylation, and alpha-galactofuranosylation. In addition, these lactonization-mediated methods of glycosylation were employed for the synthesis of complex oligosaccharides. In particular, the CB glycoside method was successfully applied to the synthesis of repeating oligosaccharide subunits of the O-polysaccharide of the lipopolysaccharide from Danish Helicobacter pylori strains and Escherichia coli 077, the synthesis of oligoarabinofuranosides in mycobacterial cell walls, and the total synthesis of antineoplastic agelagalastatin.     

A new, efficient glycosylation method for oligosaccharide synthesis under neutral conditions: preparation and use of new DISAL donors

Efficient, stereoselective glycosylation methods are required for the synthesis of complex oligosaccharides as tools in glycobiology. All glycosylation methods, which have found wide acceptance, rely on Lewis acid activation of glycosyl donors prior to glycosylation. Here, we present a new and efficient method for glycosylation under neutral or mildly basic conditions. Glycosides of methyl 2-hydroxy-3,5-dinitrobenzoate (DISAL) and its para regioisomer, methyl 4-hydroxy-3,5-dinitrobenzoate, were prepared by nucleophilic aromatic substitution. In a first demonstration of their potential as glycosyl donors, stereospecific glycosylation of methanol was achieved. In the glycosylation of more hindered alcohols, the beta-donor proved more reactive, and alpha-glucosides were predominantly formed. Glycosylation of protected monosaccharides, with free 6-OH or 3-OH, proceeded smoothly in 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) at 40-60 degrees C in the absence of Lewis acids and bases in good to excellent yields. Glycosylation of 3-OH gave the alpha-linked disaccharide only.     

Automated oligosaccharide synthesis

Peptides and oligonucleotides are prepared by automated synthesizers that can be operated by non-specialists. Carbohydrates have been hard to assemble, but the increasing awareness of the biological importance of this class of complex repeating biopolymers has prompted efforts to accelerate their synthesis. This tutorial review defines the state of the art of automated solid phase oligosaccharide synthesis and identifies areas in need of further innovation. Application of the automated synthesis method to prepare a malaria vaccine candidate is briefly highlighted.     

Dispiroketals in synthesis (Part 5): A new opportunity for oligosaccharide synthesis using differentially activated glycosyl donors and acceptors

The reactivity of dispiroketal protected thioglycosides makes them useful new precursors for oligossaccharide synthesis as is illustrated by the preparation of a protected pentasaccharide unit common to the variant surface glycoprotein of Trypanosoma brucei.     

Electron detachment dissociation of fluorescently labeled sialylated oligosaccharides

We explored the application of electron detachment dissociation (EDD) and infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD) tandem mass spectrometry to fluorescently labeled sialylated oligosaccharides. Standard sialylated oligosaccharides and a sialylated N-linked glycan released from human transferrin were investigated. EDD yielded extensive glycosidic cleavages and cross-ring cleavages in all cases studied, consistently providing complementary structural information compared with infrared multiphoton dissociation. Neutral losses and satellite ions such as C-2H ions were also observed following EDD. In addition, we examined the influence of different fluorescent labels. The acidic label 2-aminobenzoic acid (2-AA) enhanced signal abundance in negative-ion mode. However, few cross-ring fragments were observed for 2-AA-labeled oligosaccharides. The neutral label 2-aminobenzamide (2-AB) resulted in more cross-ring cleavages compared with 2-AA-labeled species, but not as extensive fragmentation as for native oligosaccharides, likely resulting from altered negative charge locations from introduction of the fluorescent tag.     

Easy access to phosphonothioates

A new and particularly mild method for the formation of phosphorus-sulfur bonds has been achieved through base-catalyzed addition of thiocyanate to the corresponding H-phosphine oxide, phosphinate, or phosphonate. This reaction procedure offers many advantages: the use as starting material of a stable and not oxygen-sensitive phosphorus(v) species, particularly mild and nonaqueous reaction conditions and workup (a pivotal point for these sensitive phosphonothioates), and, through optimized access to thiocyanates, a wider scope of substrates. This method has been applied to achieve the synthesis of substrate analogues for the study of antibody-catalyzed hydrolysis of acetylcholinesterase inhibitor PhX (11).     

Electron detachment dissociation of neutral and sialylated oligosaccharides

Electron detachment dissociation (EDD) has recently been shown by Amster and coworkers to constitute a valuable analytical approach for structural characterization of glycosaminoglycans. Here, we extend the application of EDD to neutral and sialylated oligosaccharides. Both branched and linear structures are examined, to determine whether branching has an effect on EDD fragmentation behavior. EDD spectra are compared to collisional activated dissociation (CAD) and infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD) spectra of the doubly and singly deprotonated species. Our results demonstrate that EDD of both neutral and sialylated oligosaccharides provides structural information that is complementary to that obtained from both CAD and IRMPD. In all cases, EDD resulted in additional cross-ring cleavages. In most cases, cross-ring fragmentation obtained by EDD is more extensive than that obtained from IRMPD or CAD. Our results also indicate that branching does not affect EDD fragmentation, contrary to what has been observed for electron capture dissociation (ECD).     

Formation of lactones from sialylated MUC1 glycopeptides

The tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens TN, T, sialyl TN and sialyl T are expressed on mucins in several epithelial cancers. This has stimulated studies directed towards development of glycopeptide-based anticancer vaccines. Formation of intramolecular lactones involving sialic acid residues and suitably positioned hydroxyl groups in neighboring saccharide moieties is known to occur for glycolipids such as gangliosides. It has been suggested that these lactones are more immunogenic and tumor-specific than their native counterparts and that they might find use as cancer vaccines. We have now investigated if lactonization also occurs for the sialyl TN and T antigens of mucins. It was found that the model compound sialyl T benzyl glycoside , and the glycopeptide Ala-Pro-Asp-Thr-Arg-Pro-Ala from the tandem repeat of the mucin MUC1, in which Thr stands for the 2,3-sialyl-T antigen, lactonized during treatment with glacial acetic acid. Compound gave the 1'--> 2' lactone as the major product and the corresponding 1'--> 4' lactone as the minor product. For glycopeptide the 1'--> 4' lactone constitued the major product, whereas the 1'--> 2' lactone was the minor one. When lactonized was dissolved in water the 1'--> 4' lactone underwent slow hydrolysis, whereas the 1'--> 2' remained stable even after a 30 days incubation. In contrast the corresponding 2,6-sialyl-TN glycopeptide did not lactonize in glacial acetic acid.