Synthesis of Cryptococcus neoformans Capsular Polysaccharide Structures. IV. Construction of Thioglycoside Donor Blocks and Their Subsequent Assembly

Abstract

Di‐ and trisaccharide thioglycoside building blocks, ethyl (2,3,4‐tri‐O‐benzyl‐β‐d‐xylopyranosyl)‐(1→2)‐3‐O‐allyl‐4,6‐di‐O‐benzyl‐1‐thio‐α‐d‐mannopyranoside, ethyl (2,3,4‐tri‐O‐benzyl‐β‐d‐xylopyranosyl)‐(1→2)‐6‐O‐acetyl‐3‐O‐allyl‐4‐O‐benzyl‐1‐thio‐α‐d‐mannopyranoside and ethyl (2,3,4‐tri‐O‐benzyl‐β‐d‐xylopyranosyl)‐(1→4)‐[(2,3,4‐tri‐O‐benzyl‐β‐d‐xylopyranosyl)‐(1→2)]‐3‐O‐allyl‐6‐O‐benzyl‐1‐thio‐α‐d‐mannopyranoside, corresponding to repetitive structures in the capsular polysaccharide (CPS) of Cryptococcus neoformans have been synthesised using silver triflate‐promoted couplings between benzobromoxylose and properly protected mannose ethyl thioglycosides. The blocks contain an orthogonal allyl group in the 3‐position of the mannose residue to allow continued formation of the (1→3)‐linked mannan backbone of the CPS. They have benzyl ethers as persistent protecting groups to facilitate access to the acetylated target structures. Assembly of the blocks employing DMTST as promoter in diethyl ether afforded in high yield and complete stereoselectivity penta‐ and hexasaccharide motifs from C. neoformans serotype A–C. The latter were deallylated into new acceptors to allow synthesis of larger CPS‐fragments.

^†This paper is dedicated to Professor Gérard Descotes on the occasion of his 70th birthday.

Keywords:

• Convergent synthesis
• Modular approach
• Block synthesis
• Glycoconjugate vaccines

Acknowledgments

Financial support from the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (the “Glycoconjugates in Biological Systems” program) and from the Swedish Natural Science Research Council are gratefully acknowledged.

Notes

^†This paper is dedicated to Professor Gérard Descotes on the occasion of his 70th birthday.