Synthetic Studies on Sialoglycoconjugates 22: Total Synthesis of Tumor-Associated Ganglioside, Sialyl Lewis X¹

The first total synthesis of tumor-associated glycolipid antigen, sialyl Lewis X is described. Glycosylation of 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl O-(2-acetamido-4,6-O-benzylidene-2-deoxy-β-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1→3)-O-(2,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-β-D-galactopyranosyl)-(1→4)-2,3,6-tri-O-benzyl-β-D-glucopyranoside (1) with methyl 2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-1-thio-β-L-fuco-pyranoside (4) gave the α-glycoside (5), which was converted by reductive ring-opening of the benzylidene acetal into the glycosyl acceptor (6). Dimethyl(methylthio)sulfonium triflate-promoted coupling of 6 with methyl O-(methyl 5-acetamido-4,7,8,9-tetra-O-acetyl-3,5-dideoxy-D-glycero-α-D-galacto-2-nonulopyranosylonate)-(2→3)-2,4,6-tri-O-benzoyl-1-thio-β-D-galactopyranoside (7) afforded the desired hexasaccharide 8 in good yield. Compound 8 was converted into the α-trichloroacetimidate 11, via reductive removal of the benzyl groups, O-acetylation, removal of the 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl group, and treatment with trichloroacetonitrile, which, on coupling with (2S, 3R, 4E)-2-azido-3-O-benzoyl-4-octa-decene-1,3-diol (12), gave the β-glycoside 13. Finally, 13 was transformed, via selective reduction of the azide group, condensation with octadecanoic acid, O-deacylation, and hydrolysis of the methyl ester group, into the title compound 16.