Syntheses of α(2,8) Sialosides Containing NeuAc and NeuGc by Using Double Carbonyl-Protected N-Acyl Sialyl Donors.

We report on the syntheses of NeuAc and NeuGc-containing glycosides via the use of double carbonyl-protected N-acetyl sialyl donors. The 7-O,9-O-carbonyl protection of an N-acyl-5-N,4-O-carbonyl-protected sialyl donor markedly increased the α-selectivity during glycosylation, particularly when glycosylating the C-8 hydroxyl group of sialic acids. The N-acyl carbamates were selectively opened with ethanethiol under basic conditions to provide N-acyl amines. It is noteworthy that N-glycolyl carbamate was more reactive to nucleophiles by comparison with the N-acetyl carbamate due to the electron-withdrawing oxygen in the N-acyl group and however, allowed selective opening of the carbamates without the loss of N-glycolyl groups. To demonstrate the utility of the approach, we began by synthesizing α(2,3) and α(2,6) sialyl galactosides. Glycosylation of the hydroxy groups of galactosides at the C-6 position with the NeuAc and NeuGc donors provided the corresponding sialyl galactoses in good yields with excellent α-selectivity. However, glycosylation of the 2,3-diol galactosyl acceptor selectively provided Siaα(2,2)Gal. Next, we prepared a series of α(2,8) disialosides composed of NeuAc and NeuGc. Glycosylation of NeuGc and NeuAc acceptors at the C-8 hydroxyl group with NeuGc and NeuAc sialyl donors provided the corresponding α(2,8) disialosides, and no significant differences were detected in the reactivities of these acceptors.

Synthesis of Natural and Sugar-Modified Nucleosides Using the Iodine/Triethylsilane System as N-Glycosidation Promoter.

The reagent system based on the combined use of Et3SiH/I2 acts as an efficient N-glycosidation promoter for the synthesis of natural and sugar-modified nucleosides. An analysis of reaction stereoselectivity in the absence of C2-positioned stereodirecting groups revealed high selectivity with six-membered substrates, depending on the nucleophilic character of the nucleobase or based on anomerization reactions. The synthetic utility of the Et3SiH/I2-mediated N-glycosidation reaction was highlighted by its use in the synthesis of the investigational drug apricitabine.

Recent Advances in the Synthesis and Biological Applications of Peptidoglycan Fragments.

The biosynthesis, breakdown, and modification of peptidoglycan (PG) play vital roles in both bacterial viability and in the response of human physiology to bacterial infection. Studies on PG biochemistry are hampered by the fact that PG is an inhomogeneous insoluble macromolecule. Chemical synthesis is therefore an important means to obtain PG fragments that may serve as enzyme substrates and elicitors of the human immune response. This review outlines the recent advances in the synthesis and biochemical studies of PG fragments, PG biosynthetic intermediates (such as Park's nucleotides and PG lipids), and PG breakdown products (such as muramyl dipeptides and anhydro-muramic acid-containing fragments). A rich variety of synthetic approaches has been applied to preparing such compounds since carbohydrate, peptide, and phospholipid chemical methodologies must all be applied.

A Facile α-Glucuronidation Using Methyl 1,2,3,4-Tetra-O-acetyl-D-glucuronate as Glycosyl Donor.

Some terpenyl 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-α-D-glucuronide methyl esters were facilely synthesized from commercially available methyl 1,2,3,4-tetra-O-acetyl-ß-D-glucuronate and terpenoid alcohols in the presence of bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (Tf2NH) in dichloromethane (DCM) in good yields. The predominant α-selectivity at the anomer position is caused via transition state in which the neighboring group participation of the methoxycarbonyl group at C-6 stabilizes the oxonium intermediate by forming 1C4 conformation. The intermediate accelerates the glucuronidation reaction despite the use of the acetyl group, which is not a good activating group in general glycosylation reactions, as the activating group.

Investigation of the Protection of the C4 Hydroxyl Group in Macrobicyclic Kdo Donors.

Chemical synthesis of 3-deoxy-d-manno-2-octulosonic acid (Kdo)-containing glycans, such as bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) and capsular polysaccharides (CPSs), is in high demand for the development of vaccines against pathogenic bacteria. We have recently achieved the complete α-stereoselective glycosidation of Kdo using a macrobicyclic donor tethered at the C1 and C5 positions. In this study, to expand the scope of Kdo glycosidation, we sought to protect the 4-OH group, thereby shortening the reaction time and ensuring the conversion of the glycosyl acceptor via its selective removal. The protection of the 4-OH group influenced the reactivity of the Kdo donor, and the triisopropylsilyl (TIPS) group acted as a selectively removable booster. The 4-O-TIPS donor allowed the synthesis of the α(2,4)-linked dimeric Kdo sequence, which is widely found in bacterial LPSs.

Total Synthesis of Kibdelomycin.

A modular total synthesis of kibdelomycin is disclosed that should enable structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies of this interesting class of antibiotics. The route uses simple building blocks and addresses lingering questions about its structural assignment and relationship to amycolamicin, a recently described natural product reported to have a similar structure. Initial antibacterial assays reveal that both C-22 epimers (the N-glycosidic linkage) of the natural product have similar activity while structurally truncated analogs lose activity.

Identification of a Pyrrole Intermediate Which Undergoes C-Glycosidation and Autoxidation to Yield the Final Product in Showdomycin Biosynthesis.

Showdomycin is a C-nucleoside bearing an electrophilic maleimide base. Herein, the biosynthetic pathway of showdomycin is presented. The initial stages of the pathway involve non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) mediated assembly of a 2-amino-1H-pyrrole-5-carboxylic acid intermediate. This intermediate is prone to air oxidation whereupon it undergoes oxidative decarboxylation to yield an imine of maleimide, which in turn yields the maleimide upon acidification. It is also shown that this pyrrole intermediate serves as the substrate for the C-glycosidase SdmA in the pathway. After coupling with ribose 5-phosphate, the resulting C-nucleoside undergoes a similar sequence of oxidation, decarboxylation and deamination to afford showdomcyin after exposure to air. These results suggest that showdomycin could be an artifact due to aerobic isolation; however, the autoxidation may also serve to convert an otherwise inert product of the biosynthetic pathway to an electrophilic C-nucleotide thereby endowing showdomycin with its observed bioactivities.

Scalable De Novo Synthesis of Aldgarose and Total Synthesis of Aldgamycin†N.

Since the accompanying study had shown that the introduction of the eponymous aldgarose sugar to the C5-OH group of the macrocyclic aglycone of aldgamycin N is most difficult, if not even impossible, the synthesis route was revised and the glycosidation performed at an earlier stage. To mitigate the "cost" of this strategic amendment, a practical and scalable de novo synthesis of this branched octose was developed. The glycoside formation required mild conditions; it commenced with the reaction of the aglycone with the trichloroacetimidate donor to give a transient orthoester, which slowly rearranged to the desired aldgaropyranoside. The presence of the polar peripheral groups in the product did not impede the selective late-stage functionalization of the macrolide ring itself: the contained propargylic alcohol entity was readily transformed into the characteristic acyloin motif of the target by a ruthenium-catalyzed trans-hydrostannation followed by a modified Chan-Lam-type coupling.

Koenigs-Knorr Glycosylation Reaction Catalyzed by Trimethylsilyl Trifluoromethanesulfonate.

The discovery that traditional silver(I)-oxide-promoted glycosidations of glycosyl bromides (Koenigs-Knorr reaction) can be greatly accelerated in the presence of catalytic trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TMSOTf) is reported. The reaction conditions are very mild that allowed for maintaining a practically neutral pH and, at the same time, providing high rates and excellent glycosylation yields. In addition, unusual reactivity trends among a series of differentially protected glycosyl bromides were documented. In particular, benzoylated α-bromides were much more reactive than their benzylated counterparts under these conditions.

Identification of the C-Glycoside Synthases during Biosynthesis of the Pyrazole-C-Nucleosides Formycin and Pyrazofurin.

C-Nucleosides are characterized by a C-C rather than a C-N linkage between the heterocyclic base and the ribofuranose ring. While the biosynthesis of pseudouridine-C-nucleosides has been studied, less is known about the pyrazole-C-nucleosides such as the formycins and pyrazofurin. Herein, genome screening of Streptomyces candidus NRRL 3601 led to the discovery of the pyrazofurin biosynthetic gene cluster pyf. In vitro characterization of gene product PyfQ demonstrated that it is able to catalyze formation of the C-glycoside carboxyhydroxypyrazole ribonucleotide (CHPR) from 4-hydroxy-1H-pyrazole-3,5-dicarboxylic acid and phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate (PRPP). Similarly, ForT, the PyfQ homologue in the formycin pathway, can catalyze the coupling of 4-amino-1H-pyrazole-3,5-dicarboxylic acid and PRPP to form carboxyaminopyrazole ribonucleotide. Finally, PyfP and PyfT are shown to catalyze amidation of CHPR to pyrazofurin 5'-phosphate thereby establishing the latter stages of both pyrazofurin and formycin biosynthesis.

Synthesis of Azanucleosides by Anodic Oxidation in a Lithium Perchlorate-Nitroalkane Medium and Diversification at the 4'-Nitrogen Position.

Azanucleosides, in which the 4'-oxygen atom has been replaced with a nitrogen atom, have drawn much attention owing to their anticancer and antivirus activity, and tolerance towards nucleases. However, the traditional synthetic strategy requires multiple steps and harsh conditions, thereby limiting the structural and functional diversity of the products. Herein we describe the synthesis of azanucleosides by an electrochemical reaction in a lithium perchlorate-nitroethane medium, followed by postmodification at the 4'-N position. N-Acryloyl prolinol derivatives were converted into azanucleosides by anodic activation of the N-α-C-H bond. Moreover, the use of nitroethane instead of nitromethane lowered the oxidation potential of the N-acryloyl prolinols and increased the Faradic yield. The prepared azanucleosides were efficiently functionalized at the 4'-N-acryloyl group with a lipophilic alkanethiol and a fluorescent dye by conjugate addition and olefin cross-metathesis, respectively.

Facile Diastereoseparation of Glycosyl Sulfoxides by Chiral Stationary Phase.

Separation of the diastereomers of glycosyl sulfoxides differing in the sulfur chirality has been difficult. This article presents a fast and scalable method for their diastereoseparation using a chiral stationary phase. The usefulness of this method was demonstrated in a 500-mg scale separation within 20 min, and in the separation of trisaccharyl sulfoxide diastereomers. Chirality 28:534-539, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Stable Alkynyl Glycosyl Carbonates: Catalytic Anomeric Activation and Synthesis of a Tridecasaccharide Reminiscent of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Cell Wall Lipoarabinomannan.

Oligosaccharide synthesis is still a challenging task despite the advent of modern glycosidation techniques. Herein, alkynyl glycosyl carbonates are shown to be stable glycosyl donors that can be activated catalytically by gold and silver salts at 25 °C in just 15 min to produce glycosides in excellent yields. Benzoyl glycosyl carbonate donors are solid compounds with a long shelf life. This operationally simple protocol was found to be highly efficient for the synthesis of nucleosides, amino acids, and phenolic and azido glycoconjugates. Repeated use of the carbonate glycosidation method enabled the highly convergent synthesis of tridecaarabinomannan in a rapid manner.

Synthesis of Migrastatin Analogues as Inhibitors of Tumour Cell Migration: Exploring Structural Change in and on the Macrocyclic Ring.

Migrastatin and isomigrastatin analogues have been synthesised in order to contribute to structure-activity studies on tumour cell migration inhibitors. These include macrocycles varying in ring size, functionality and alkene stereochemistry, as well as glucuronides. The synthesis work included application of the Saegusa-Ito reaction for regio- and stereoselective unsaturated macroketone formation, diastereoselective Brown allylation to generate 9-methylmigrastatin analogues and chelation-induced anomerisation to vary glucuronide configuration. Compounds were tested in vitro against both breast and pancreatic cancer cell lines and inhibition of tumour cell migration was observed in both wound-healing (scratch) and Boyden chamber assays. One unsaturated macroketone showed low affinity for a range of secondary drug targets, indicating it is at low risk of displaying adverse side effects.

Callipeltosides A, B and C: Total Syntheses and Structural Confirmation.

Since their isolation almost 20 years ago, the callipeltosides have been of long standing interest to the synthetic community owing to their unique structural features and inherent biological activity. Herein we present our full research effort that has led to the synthesis of these molecules. Key aspects of our final strategy include 1) synthesis of the C1-C9 pyran core (5) using an AuCl3 -catalysed cyclisation; 2) formation of C10-C22 vinyl iodide (55) by sequential bidirectional Stille reactions and 3) diastereoselective union of these advanced fragments by means of an alkenylzinc addition (d.r.=91:9 at C9). The common callipeltoside aglycon (4) was completed in a further five steps. Following this, all three sugar fragments were appended to provide the entire callipeltoside family. In addition to this, D-configured callipeltose B was synthesised and appended to the callipeltoside aglycon. The (1) H NMR spectrum of this molecule was found to be significantly different to the natural isolate, further supporting our assignment of callipeltoside B (2).

Total Synthesis of Ellagitannins through Regioselective Sequential Functionalization of Unprotected Glucose.

Short total syntheses of natural glycosides (ellagitannins) were performed through sequential and regioselective functionalization of the hydroxy groups of unprotected glucose. The key reactions are ß-selective glycosidation of a gallic acid derivative by using unprotected glucose as a glycosyl donor and catalyst-controlled regioselective introduction of a galloyl group into the inherently less reactive hydroxy group of the glucoside.

Activation of glycosyl methylpropiolates by TfOH.

Activation of glycosyl methylpropiolates by TfOH was investigated. Armed and superarmed glycosyl donors can be activated by use of 0.2 equivalent TfOH whereas 1.0 equivalent of TfOH was required for the activation of the disarmed glycosyl donors. All the glycosidations gave very good yields. The method is suitable for synthesis of glycosides and disaccharides and it may result in the hydrolysis of the interglycosidic bond if the sugar at the non-reducing end is armed or superarmed. These problems are not seen when gold-catalyzed activation procedures are invoked for the activation of glycosyl alkynoates.

Stereocontrolled synthesis of α-d-allulofuranosides using α-selective d-fructofuranosidation reaction.

Stereocontrolled synthesis of rare sugar derivatives, namely α-d-allulofuranosides, was achieved using d-fructose, one of the most abundant carbohydrates in nature. The following are the key steps of the α-d-allulofuranosides' synthesis. (1) An α-selective glycosidation reaction of 1,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzoylated d-fructofuranosyl donor to obtain α-d-fructofuranosides with 98 %-75 % isolated yields. (2) A regioselective 1,4,6-tri-O-pivaloylation reaction of the tetraol of α-d-fructofuranosides with the C3-hydroxy group remaining intact. (3) The oxidation of the C3-hydroxy group followed by the stereoselective reduction of the C3-carbonyl group. Primary and secondary alcohols and sugars can be used as glycosyl acceptors and aglycones for the following pivaloylation and stereoinversion reactions to obtain α-d-allulofuranosides.

Gold-catalyzed glycosidation for the synthesis of trisaccharides by applying the armed-disarmed strategy.

The synthesis of oligosaccharides is still a challenging task as there is no universal glycosyl donor for the synthesis of all oligosaccharides. The gold catalysis for glycosidation reactions, in which alkynylated glycosides are used, has emerged as one of the versatile options in this regard. A cleavage of the interglycosidic bond that was thought to be due to the higher reaction temperature and the acidic medium was observed during the synthesis of trisaccharides. In addition, a very little percentage of deprotection of benzyl protecting groups at the C-6 position was observed and no deprotection of benzyl ethers in aliphatic molecules was noticed. In order to overcome this fact, a collection of leaving groups that contain an alkynyl moiety were screened. It was found that 1-ethynylcyclohexanyl (Ech) glycosides are suitable for carrying out the glycosidation at 25 °C in the presence of 5 mol % each of AuCl3 and AgSbF6. Subsequently, Ech-glycosides were observed to be suitable for the synthesis of trisaccharides under gold catalysis conditions.

A pentacarbomethoxycyclopentadiene (PCCP) organic Brønsted acid catalyzed stereoselective glycosidation of N-pentenyl orthoesters (NPOE) of d-glucose and d-galactose, in conjunction with N-iodosuccinimide.

Herein, we report our preliminary results in utilizing the organic Brønsted acid, pentacarbomethoxycyclopentadiene (PCCP), for catalysing the glycosidation with n-pentenyl orthoesters (NPOE) of d-glucose and d-galactose in the presence of N-iodosuccinimide (NIS). Benzoyl and benzyl protection in d-glucosyl NPOEs led to 1,2-trans glycosides, while acetyl protection in NPOE led to a mixture of 1,2-cis and trans glycosides with >75% cis selectivity, and d-galactosyl NPOEs led to 1,2-orthoesters. Substrate scope was demonstrated with acceptors of natural product relevance. This article highlights the prospect of utilizing the organic Brønsted acid, PCCP, for stereoselective glycosidation.