Synthetic Studies on Sialoglycoconjugates 66: First Total Synthesis of a Cholinergic Neuron-Specific Ganglioside GQ1bα¹

Abstract

A first total synthesis of a cholinergic neuron-specific ganglioside, GQ1bα (IV³Neu5Acα, III⁶Neu5Acα, II³Neu5Acα₂-Gg₄Cer) is described. Regio- and stereo-selective monosialylation of the hydroxyl group at C-6 of the GalNAc residue in 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethyl O-(2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3,4-O-isopropylidene-β-d-galactopyranosyl)-(1→4)-O-(2,6-di-O-benzyl-β-dgalactopyranosyl)-(1→4)- O-2,3,6-tri-O-benzyl-β-dglucopyranoside (4) with methyl (phenyl 5-acetamido-4,7,8,9-tetra-O-acetyl-3,5-dideoxy-2-thio-d glycero-d galacto-2-nonulopyranosid) onate (5), and subsequent dimericsialylation of the hydroxyl group at C-3 of the Gal residue with methyl [phenyl 5-acetamido-8-O-(5-acetamido-4,7,8,9-tetra-O-acetyl-3,5-dideoxy-d glycero-α-d galacto-2-nonulopyranosylono-1′,9-lactone)-4, 7-di-O-acetyl-3,5-dideoxy-2-thio-d glycero-d galacto-2-nonulopyranosid]onate (7), using N-iodosuccinimide (NIS)-trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TfOH) as a promoter, gave the desired hexasaccharide 8 containing α-glycosidically-linked mono- and dimeric sialic acids. This was transformed into the acceptor 9 by removal of the isopropylidene group. Condensation of 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-dgalactopyranoside (10) with 9, using dimethyl(methylthio)sulfonium triflate (DMTST) as a promoter, gave the desired octasaccharide derivative 11 in high yield. Compound 11 was converted into α-trichloroacetimidate 14, 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-octadecene-1,3-diol (15), gave the β-glycoside 16. Finally, 16 was transformed, via selective reduction of the azido group, coupling with octadecanoic acid, O-deacylation, and hydrolysis of the methyl ester group, into the title ganglioside 18 in good yield.