Stereocontrolled synthesis of sialyl Lex, the oligosaccharide binding ligand to ELAM-1 (sialyl =N-acetylneuramin)

Sialyl Lex1 the oligosaccharide binding ligand to ELAM-1 is synthesized from building blocks 2–5via a short route featuring the principle of a neighbouring PhS group as an auxiliary to facilitate and stereochemically control the formation of the desired glycoside bond in the target molecule.