Glycosylidene Carbenes. Part 22. α-D-Selectivity in the Glycosidation by Carbenes Derived from 2-Acetamido-hexoses

Glycosylidene carbenes derived from the GlcNAc and AllNAc diazirines 1 and 3 were generated by the thermolysis or photolysis of the diazirines. The reaction of 1 with i-PrOH gave exclusively the isopropyl α-D -glycoside of 5 besides some dihydrooxazole 9 (Scheme 2). A similar reaction with (CF₃)₂CHOH yielded predominantly the α-D -anomer of 6 , while glycosidation of 4-nitrophenol (→ 7 ) proceeded with markedly lower diastereoselectivity. Similarly, the Allo-diazirine 3 gave the corresponding glycosides 12–14 , but with a lower preference for the α-D -anomers (Scheme 3). The reactions of the carbene derived from 1 with Ph₃COH (→ 8 ) and diisopropylideneglucose 10 (→ 11 ) gave selectively the α-D -anomers (Scheme 2). The αD -selectivity increases with increasing basicity (decreasing acidity) of the alcohols. It is rationalized by an intermolecular H-bond between the acetamido group and the glycosyl acceptor. This H-bond increases the probability for the formation of a 1,2-cis-glycosidic C–O bond. The gluco-intermediates are more prone to forming a N–H…?(H)OR bond than the allo-isomers, since the acetamido group in the N-acetylallosamine derivatives forms an intramolecular H-bond to the cis-oriented benzyloxy group at C(3), as evidenced by δ/T and δ/c experiments.