Compounds and their uses

A compound represented by the general formula:

• Y—X—1,6-cyclitol
• wherein:
• X represents a sugar radical;
• Y represents one to three sugar radicals;
• the sugar residue is unsubstituted or substituted with between one and four groups, and the cyclitol is unsubstituted or is further substituted with between one and four groups, the group or groups being indepedently selected from:
• (a) phosphoryl groups such as phosphate —O—P(O)(OH)2;
• thiophosphate —O—P(S)(OH)2;
• phosphate esters —O—P(O)(OH)2;
• thiophosphate esters —O P(S)(OR)2;
• phosphonate —O—P(O)OHR;
• thiophosphonate —O—P(S)OHR;
• substituted phosphonate —O—P(O)OR1R2;
• substituted thiophosphonate —O—P(S)OR1R2;
• —O—P(S)(OH)(SH);
• cyclic phosphate;
• (b) other phosphorus containing compounds such as phosphoramidite —O—P(OR)—NR1R2 and phosphoramidate —O—P(O)(OR)—NR1R2;
• (c) sulphur groups such as —O—S(O)(OH), —SH, —SR, —S(—O)—R, —S(O)2R, RO—S (O)2−, —O—SO2NH2, —O—SO2R1R2 or sulphamide —NHSO2NH2;
• (d) amino groups such as —NHR, —NR1R2, —NHAc, —NHCOR, —NH—O—COR, —NHSO3−, —NHSO2R, —N(SO2R)2, and/or amidino groups such as —NH—C(═NH)NH2 and/or ureido groups such as —NH—CO—NR1R2 or thiouriedo groups such as —NH—C(S)—NH2;
• (e) hydroxy groups and substituted hydroxy groups such as —OR3, where R3 is C1-10 unsubstituted or substituted alkyl, e.g. CHF2 or CF3, alkoxyalkyl, aryloxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl (unsubstituted alkyl), alkylene (C3-7 cycloalkyl), —OCOR, aryl, heteroaryl, acetal, or where two hydroxyl groups are joined as a ketal;
• (f) halogen substituents such as fluorine or chlorine;
• (g) hydrogen, e.g. to provide a deoxy sugar;
• wherein R, R1 and R2 are independently hydrogen or C1-10 unsubstituted or substituted alkyl or aryl;
• or a derivative thereof;
• with the proviso that the compound is not O-(6-hydrogenphosphonate-a-D-mannopyranosyl)-(1-4) -(2-ammonio-2-deoxy-α-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-6)-L-myo-inositol-1, 2-cyclic phosphate and O-(6-hydrogenphosphonate-α-D-mannopyranosyl)-(1-4)-(2-amino-2-deoxy-a-D-glucopyranosyl )-L,-myo-inositol.