Glycosylation method

Abstract

A method for forming a glycosidic linkage by: (a) contacting a glycoside bearing an anomeric sulfoxide group with a compound bearing a free hydroxyl group in the presence of an organic acid anhydride and a scavenger of sulfenyl esters; and (b) allowing a glycosylation reaction to proceed under conditions effective to produce the glycosidic linkage. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the glycoside bearing an anomeric sulfoxide group is added to a mixture of the other reactants. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, a Lewis acid is also present in the reaction mixture. This invention is further directed to a method for forming a glycosidic linkage by: (a) forming a solution comprising: a compound bearing a free hydroxyl group, and an organic acid anhydride; (b) adding to the solution a glycoside bearing an anomeric sulfoxide group; and (c) allowing a glycosylation reaction to proceed under conditions effective to produce the glycosidic linkage. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a Lewis acid is present in the solution.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.