Phosphorylation of disaccharides with inorganic cyclo-triphosphate in aqueous solution

The phosphorylation of disaccharides by inorganic cyclo-triphosphate (P(3m)) with a six-membered ring was examined in aqueous solution. In the phosphorylation of cellobiose, lactose, and alpha,alpha-trehalose with P(3m), beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl 1-triphosphate, beta-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl 1-triphosphate, and 3-O-triphospho-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->1)-alpha-D-glucopyranoside were synthesized with maximum yields of 28%, 35%, and 20%, respectively. In the reactions of maltose and sucrose with P(3m), two phosphorylated products were obtained in yields of 42% and 58%, respectively. The main phosphorylated products were assigned to alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl 1-triphosphate and beta-D-fructofuranosyl-(2-->1)-2-O-triphospho-alpha-D-glucopyranoside by heteronuclear multiple bond correlation (HMBC) NMR. The phosphorylation mechanism of disaccharides with P(3m) is discussed.