Sialyl Le(x) ganglioside analogues containing 2-epi-, 2,3-di-epi-, 4-epi-, and 2-O-methyl-L-fucose in place of the L-
fucose residue have been synthesized. Glycosylation of 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl O-(2-acetamido-4,6-O-benzylidene-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->3)- 2,4,6- tri-O-benzyl-beta-D-
galactopyranoside with the methyl 1-thioglycoside derivatives of the respective
fucose analogues, using
dimethyl(methylthio)sulfonium triflate (DMTST) as a promoter, gave the corresponding protected 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl deoxy-alpha-L-hexopyranosyl-(1-->3)-O-(2- acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->3)-beta-D-galactopyrano
sid es. These were transformed by reductive ring-opening of their benzylidene
acetal groups into the glycosyl acceptors.
Dimethyl (methylthio)sulfonium triflate-promoted glycosylation of these compounds with methyl O-(methyl 5-acetamido-4,7,8,9-tetra-O-acetyl-3,5-dideoxy-D-glycero-alpha-D-galacto -2- nonulopyranosylonate)-(2-->3)-2,4,6-tri-O-benzoyl-1-thio-beta-D-
galactopyranoside afforded the desired pentasaccharides, which were converted via reductive removal of their benzyl groups, O-acetylation, selective removal of the 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl group, and reaction with
trichloroacetonitrile, into the corresponding alpha-tri-chloroacetimidates. Glycosylation of (2S,3R,4E)-2-azido-3-O-benzoyl-4-octadecene-1,3-diol these in the presence of
boron trifluoride etherate afforded the expected beta-
glycosides, which were transformed in good yields, via selective reduction of the azido group, coupling with
octadecanoic acid, O-deacylation, and deesterification, into the target
gangliosides. The 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl
glycosides of
sialyl Le(x)
oligosaccharides containing modified
fucose were also prepared from the intermediates of the
ganglioside synthesis.