AN EFFICIENT AND STRAIGHTFORWARD SYNTHESIS OF SIALYL Le X GLYCOLIPID AS A POTENT SELECTIN BLOCKER[[1]]

An efficient synthesis of sialyl Lewis X (sLe^x) glycolipid as a potent selectin blocker is described. 2-(Tetradecyl)hexadecanol which functions as an artificial ceramide, was glycosylated with phenyl 4-O-acetyl-6-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-3-O-(4-methoxybenzyl)-2-phthalimido-1-thio-β-d-glucopyranoside at the first step of the synthetic scheme. The N-acetylglucosamine acceptor carrying the hydrophobic aglycon was then coupled with sialyl-α-(2→3)galactose donor to afford the trisaccharide which upon successive α-l-fucosylation and deprotections, resulted in sLe^x glycolipid in quite straightforward steps.