The overall objective of this proposal renewal is to continue our development of an efficient and generalstrategy for the asymmetric synthesis of oligosaccharides (X = O) and to expand it to the synthesis ofanalogous oligo-cyclitols (X = CH2, Scheme 1). The method we propose has the potential to revolutionize theway oligosaccharides are synthesized. Our method revolves around the use of a highly stereoselectivepalladium catalyzed glycosylation (X = O: 2.1 /2.4 to 2.2 /2.5 ) and cyclitolization (X = CH2; Scheme 1).There has been an astounding amount of research directed toward the synthesis of oligosaccharides;however, when it comes to unnatural oligosaccharides, the current state of the art is lacking. This deficiency isundoubtedly due to the limited number of carbohydrate starting materials (glucose, mannose, and galactose).A complementary approach would be to start with a significantly simplified structure and to sequentiallyincrease its stereochemical and functional complexity to a range of structures (eg., 1.5/1.6 to 1.1-1.3; Scheme1). The underlying hypothesis that guides our synthetic approach is the belief that there are many carbohydrateanalogs, which remain undiscovered because of synthetic limitations. Thus, we believe a methodology thatallows for the facile incorporation of simple sugars (i.e. under-functionalized) into oligosaccharide motifs willdrastically enable the discovery of new structures with a wide range of functions.
This project from the department of chemistry at West Virginia University proposes to develop a new technology (glycosylation/cyclitolization) for the preparation of natural and unnatural complex carbohydrates. These structures are based on naturally occurring structural motifs with potent biological properties. This approach will allow chemist to preform medicinal chemistry studies that current methodologies do not allow. Ultimately, we plan to uses these new compounds to development new pharmaceutical based therapies for the treatment of cancer, AIDS, tuberculosis and other microbial infections, etc.
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