Glycals

"The Glycal Assembly Method"

Professor Danishefsky's group has developed a novel and efficient strategy for the synthesis of oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates (e.g., glycolipids and glycoproteins). Starting from glycals, glycosidic bonds are formed in a stereoselective, high yielding fashion by both solution- and solid-phase syntheses.

Oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates play an important role in inflammation, immunological response, metastasis, fertilization, and possibly protein folding. A few important applications include the synthesis of chitinase inhibitors, gangliosides, saponins, Lewis and blood group determinants, and breast tumor associated antigens.

For a recent review, see: Danishefsky, S.J.; Bilodeau, M.T. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. Engl. 1996, 35, 1380.

General Strategy for Solution-Phase Oligosaccharide Synthesis with Glycals