Iodonium-Ion Assisted Stereospecific Glycosylation: Synthesis of Oligosaccharides Containing α(1-4)-Linked L-Fucopyranosyl Units

The terminal glycosyl acceptor methyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-α-L-fucopyranoside (6) was extended three times with the non-terminal glycosyl donor ethyl 4-O-acetyl-2,3-di-O-benzyl-1-thio-ß-L-fucopyranoside (13) via iodonium-ion assisted glycosylations and intermittent removal of the C-4 acetyl group in intermediate dimer 16 and trimer 18. The 4-O-acetyl group in trimer 18 and tetramer 20 was highly resistant towards basic hydrolysis. The latter could be nullified by using dichloroacetyl instead of acetyl to protect the C-4-OH in the donor. The exclusive formation of 1,2-cis-linked oligomers could be explained by through-bond interactions exerted by the electron-withdrawing C-4 acyl group in the glycosyl donor.