3,4-Anhydro hexopyranosides have been prepared by diastereoselective epoxidation of derivatives of 2-propyl 3,4-dideoxy-alpha-D-erythro-hex-3-enopyranoside (5), selectively protected at HO-2 and HO-6. The allylic group at C-2, in 5 and derivatives, plays a critical role in the facial selectivity of the epoxidation reaction. Thus, the free HO-2 in 3 (the 6-O-acetyl derivative of 5) directs the attack of m-chloroperbenzoic acid from the more hindered alpha face of the molecule to give 2-propyl 6-O-acetyl-3,4-anhydro-alpha-D-allopyranoside (7) accompanied by the beta epoxide 6 as a very minor product. Reverse diastereoselectivity has been obtained when the HO-2 in 3 was substituted by a bulky tert-butyldimethylsilyl (TBS) group. In this case, the major isomer was the 2-O-TBS derivative of 6 (alpha-D-galacto configuration). The ring-opening of sugar epoxides by nucleophilic per-O-acetyl-1-thio-beta-D-glucopyranose (11) was employed as a convenient approach to the synthesis of (1-->3)- and (1-->4)-thiodisaccharides. For example, ring-opening of the oxirane 7 by 11 led to the expected regioisomeric per-O-acetyl thiodisaccharides beta-D-Glc-S-(1-->3)-4-thio-alpha-D-Glc-O-iPr (12) and beta-D-Glc-S-(1-->4)-4-thio-alpha-D-Gul-O-iPr (13). Regioselectivity in the construction of the (1-->4)-thioglycosidic linkage could be achieved by hindering C-3 of the 3,4-anhydro sugar with a bulky silyloxy group at the vicinal C-2. For instance, coupling of the 2-O-TBS derivative of 7 with 11 led regioselectively to the protected thiodisaccharide beta-D-Glc-S-(1-->4)-4-thio-alpha-D-Glc-O-iPr (27). The utility of the approach was demonstrated through the synthesis of sulfur-linked analogues of naturally occurring (laminarabiose and cellobiose) and non-natural disaccharides (i.e., beta-D-Glc-(1-->4)-alpha-D-Gul).

The sulfur linkage of β‐(1→4)‐thiodisaccharides was constructed with excellent diastereoselectivity by Michael addition of 2,3,4,6‐tetra‐O‐acetyl‐1‐thio‐β‐D‐galactose (2) or its β‐D‐glucose isomer (3) to sugar‐derived (2S, 6S)‐6‐acetoxymethyl‐2‐(2‐propyloxy)‐2H‐pyran‐3(6H)‐one (1). These reactions led to the per‐O‐acetyl glycosides of 3‐deoxy‐4‐S‐glycopyranosyl‐4‐thiohexopyranosid‐2‐ulose (4 and 5, respectively). Similar conjugated addition to the enone 1 of the isothiouronium salts 6 or 7, precursors in the synthesis of 2 or 3, also afforded the thiodisaccharides 4 or 5, respectively, with exclusive formation of the isomer that has an R configuration for the C‐4 stereocenter of the reducing‐end. The carbonyl function of 4 and 5 was reduced, and the resulting products were O‐deacetylated to give the free 4‐S(1→4)‐thiodisaccharides 10, 11, 14, and 15, which have a deoxy functionality adjacent to the thio group. These compounds were tested as inhibitors of glycoside hydrolases. Thus 11, the 3‐deoxy‐4‐thiomimetic of Galβ(1→4)Gal, proved to be a competitive inhibitor of the β‐galactosidase from E. coli (Ki = 0.16 mM). (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)

Satisfactory procedures are described for the synthesis of 5,6- and 3,4-thiirane derivatives from the respective hexofuranose or hexopyranose epoxide precursors. The controlled ring-opening reaction of thiiranes by 1-thioaldoses was successfully accomplished to afford, regio- and stereoselectively, β-S-(1→4)-3,4-dithiodisaccharides. For instance, the regioselective attack of per-O-acetyl-1-thioglucose (16) to C-4 of 2-propyl 2,6-di-O-acetyl-3,4-epithio-α-D-galactopyranoside (14) gave the derivative of Glcp-β-S-(1→4)-3,4-dithioGlcp-O-iPr (17). This thiodisaccharide was accompanied by the (1→3)-disulfide 18, formed between 16 and 17, and the symmetric (3→3)-disulfide 19, which resulted from the oxidative dimerization of 17. However, the S-acetyl derivative of 17 could be obtained in good yield (62%) by LiAlH(4) reduction of the crude mixture 17-19, followed by acetylation. The same sequence of reactions starting from 14 and the 1-thiolate of Galp afforded the per-O,S-acetyl derivative of Galp-β-S-(1→4)-3,4-dithio-α-D-Glcp-O-iPr (23), which was selectively S-deacetylated to give 25. The dithiosaccharides 17 and 25 are 3,4-di-S-analogues of derivatives of the natural disaccharides cellobiose and lactose, respectively. The ring-opening reaction of 5,6-epithiohexofuranoses of D-galacto (8) or L-altro (11) configuration with 1-thioaldoses was also regio- and stereoselective to give the respective β-S-(1→6)-linked 5,6-dithiodisaccharides 26 or 29 in excellent yields. Glycosylation of the free thiol group of 17, 25, or 26, using trichloroacetimidates as glycosyl donors, led to the corresponding branched dithiotrisaccharides. Some of them are sulfur analogues of derivatives of branched trisaccharides found in natural polysaccharides.