Synthesis of α-O- and α-S-glycosphingolipids related to Sphingomonous cell wall antigens using anomerisation.

Analogues of glycolipids from Spingomonadacaece with O- and S- and SO2-linkages have been prepared using chelation induced anomerisation promoted by TiCl4. Included are examples of the anomerisation of intermediates with O- and S-glycosidic linkages as well as isomerisation of ß-thioglycuronic acids (ß-glycosyl thiols). The ß-O-glucuronide and ß-O-galacturonide precursors were efficiently prepared using benzoylated trichloroacetimidates. ß-Glycosyl thiols were precursors to ß-S-derivatives. Triazole containing mimics of the natural glycolipids were prepared using CuI promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition reactions in THF. The glycolipid antigens are being evaluated currently for their effects on iNKT cells.

SnCl(4)- and TiCl(4)-catalyzed anomerization of acylated O- and S-glycosides: analysis of factors that lead to higher α:ß anomer ratios and reaction rates.

The quantification of factors that influence both rates and stereoselectivity of anomerization reactions catalyzed by SnCl(4) and TiCl(4) and how this has informed the synthesis of α-O- and α-S-glycolipids is discussed. The SnCl(4)-catalyzed anomerization reactions of ß-S- and ß-O-glycosides of 18 substrates followed first order equilibrium kinetics and k(f) + k(r) values were obtained, where k(f) is the rate constant for the forward reaction (ß â†’ α) and k(r) is the rate constant for the reverse reaction (α → ß). Comparison of the k(f) + k(r) values showed that reactions of glucuronic acid or galacturonic acid derivatives were ∼10 to 3000 times faster than those of related glucoside and galactopyranoside counterparts and α:ß ratios were generally also higher. Stereoelectronic effects contributed from galacto-configured compounds were up to 2-fold faster than those of corresponding glucosides. The introduction of groups, including protecting groups, which are increasingly electron releasing generally led to rate enhancements. The anomerization of S-glycosides was consistently faster than that of corresponding O-glycosides. Reactions were generally faster for reactions with TiCl(4) than those with SnCl(4). Anomeric ratios depended on the Lewis acid, the number equivalents of the Lewis acid, temperature, and substrate. Very high ratios of α-products for both O- and S-glucuronides were observed for reactions promoted by TiCl(4); for these substrates TiCl(4) was superior to SnCl(4). Anomeric ratios from anomerization of S-glucosides were higher with SnCl(4) than with TiCl(4). The dependence of equilibrium ratio on Lewis acid and the number of equivalents of Lewis acid indicated that the equilibrium ratio is determined by a complex of the saccharide residue bound to the Lewis acid and not the free glycoside. The high α:ß ratios observed for anomerization of both O- and S-glycuronic acids can be explained by coordination of the C-1 heteroatom and C-6 carbonyl group of the product to the Lewis acid, which would enhance the anomeric effect by increasing the electron-withdrawing ability of the anomeric substituent and lead to an increase in the proportion of the α-anomer. Such an observation would argue against the existence of a reverse anomeric effect. Support for a chelation-induced endocyclic cleavage mechanism for the anomerization is provided by the trapping of a key intermediate. The data herein will help predict the tendency of ß-glycosides to undergo anomerization; this includes cases where 1,2-trans glycosides are initial products of glycosidation reactions catalyzed by TiCl(4) or SnCl(4).

Synthesis of a glycolipid for studying mechanisms of mitochondrial uncoupling proteins.

Glucose-O-omega-palmitic acid is an amphipathic molecule that is useful as a tool for studying the mechanism of mitochondrial uncoupling proteins. The synthesis of this glycolipid is described herein. The study of the reaction of a series of glycosyl donors with appropriate acceptors derived from 16-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid showed that a glycosyl trichloroacetimidate donor was more efficient than thioglycoside, glycosyl halide and glycosyl acetate donors for synthesis of this glycolipid.

Lack of activation of UCP1 in isolated brown adipose tissue mitochondria by glucose-O-ω-modified saturated fatty acids of various chain lengths.

We previously demonstrated that uncoupling protein 1 activity, as measured in isolated brown adipose tissue mitochondria (and as a native protein reconstituted into liposome membranes), was not activated by the non-flippable modified saturated fatty acid, glucose-O-ω-palmitate, whereas activity was stimulated by palmitate alone (40 nM free final concentration). In this study, we investigated whether fatty acid chain length had any bearing on the ability of glucose-O-ω-fatty acids to activate uncoupling protein 1. Glucose-O-ω-saturated fatty acids of various chain lengths were synthesized and tested for their potential to activate GDP-inhibited uncoupling protein 1-dependent oxygen consumption in brown adipose tissue mitochondria, and the results were compared with equivalent non-modified fatty acid controls. Here we demonstrate that laurate (12C), palmitate (16C) and stearate (18C) could activate GDP-inhibited uncoupling protein 1-dependent oxygen consumption in brown adipose tissue mitochondria, whereas there was no activation with glucose-O-ω-laurate (12C), glucose-O-ω-palmitate (16C), glucose-O-ω-stearate (18C), glucose-O-ω-arachidate (20C) or arachidate alone. We conclude that non-flippable fatty acids cannot activate uncoupling protein 1 irrespective of chain length. Our data further undermine the cofactor activation model of uncoupling protein 1 function but are compatible with the model that uncoupling protein 1 functions by flipping long-chain fatty acid anions.

Alpha-glycosphingolipids via chelation-induced anomerization of O- and S-glucuronic and galacturonic acid derivatives.

Bacterial glycolipids containing either alpha-glucuronic acid or alpha-galacturonic acid residues have an important role in the innate-type immune response to gram-negative bacteria. Synthesis of closely related compounds, including a novel alpha-SO(2) glycolipid mimetic, is described from carbohydrate precursors where anomerization is a key step. Very high stereoselectivites (>97:3 in favor of alpha) were observed from O-glycoside precursors.