A-glycosyl triflate

P-Mannosides are difficult to introduce because the axial C-2 substituent of a mannosyl donor sterically and electronically disfavors nucleophilic attack from the P-face. P-Mannosides have been obtained by the direct substitution of a-glycosyl triflates, which are conveniently prepared by the treatment of an anomeric sulfoxide with triflic anhydride (Tf20) or thioglycosides with NIS (Scheme 4.3a)... 

P selectivity. Crich and coworkers proposed that, under preactivation conditions, the oxocarbenium ion is trapped by a triflate anion to form the more stable a-triflate 65. After addition of the acceptor, the a-triflate intermediate can then be displaced in an SN2-like manner to afford a p-mannoside product (68). The formation of a-glycosyl triflates was confirmed by II, 13C, and 19F NMR analyses of the activated mannosyl donor recorded at low temperature [37], The experimentally determined KIE is approximately 1.12, which is consistent with an oxocarbenium-like TS [38], It was hypothesized that the a-triflate converts into the contact ion pair 66 in which the triflate anion remains at the a face or that an exploded TS is formed where the nucleophile is loosely associated with the oxocarbenium ion as the triflate departs [39,40], The a product 69 can be explained by the formation of the solvent-separated ion pair 67 where the counterion is solvated and facial selectivity is lost. 

IOB activated by triflic anhydride has been used to convert thioglycosides into 0-glycosides (disaccharides). The reaction probably proceeds via a glycosyl triflate intermediate [52] ... 

The most common activator for the glycosyl sulfoxides is trifluoromethanesulfonic anhydride (triflic anhydride), which, in the absence of nucleophiles, rapidly and cleanly converts most sulfoxides into the corresponding glycosyl triflates in a matter of minutes at —78 °C in dichloromethane solution [86,280,315,316]. In the more extensively studied mannopyranose series, only the a-mannosyl triflate is observed by low-temperature NMR spectroscopy (Scheme 4.35) [280]. In the glucopyranose series, mixtures of a- and (1-triflates are observed, in which the a-anomer nevertheless predominates (Scheme 4.36) [280],... 

In the critical area of (1-mannoside synthesis [317-321], the evidence strongly suggests that a-mannosyl triflate serves as a reservoir for a transient contact ion pair (CIP), which is the glycosylating species (Scheme 4.37), although the possibility of an SN2-like mechanism with an exploded transition state cannot be completely excluded [135]. In view of the probable operation of the contact ion-pair mechanism... 

When triflic anhydride is added to a preformed mixture of glycosyl sulfoxide and acceptor alcohol, it seems apparent that the first formed oxacarbenium ion is directly trapped by the alcohol, without the need for the implication of glycosyl triflates [75,280,323],... 

Although glycosyl triflates have been demonstrated to be intermediates with a number of armed donors, and even with disarmed donors not capable of neighboring-group participation, such as the sulfonate esters, typical disarmed donors with esters in the 2-position function in the anticipated manner through anchimeric... 

A variety of other activating systems have been employed for the promotion of sulfoxide-based glycosylation reactions, but none have been studied to the same extent as the triflic-anhydride-mediated reaction [86]. One of the most potent activators, benzenesulfenyl triflate, a by-product of the activation with triflic anhydride, has been shown to bring about rapid conversion of sulfoxides into glycosyl triflates [280]. Unfortunately, this reagent is unstable and has to be prepared in situ from silver triflate and benzenesulfenyl chloride. 

A. Hasegawa, M. Ogawa, H. Ishida, and M. Kiso, a-Predominant glycoside synthesis of Af-acetylneuraminic acid with the primary hydroxyl group in carbohydrates using dimethyl-(methylthio)sulfonium triflate as a glycosyl promoter, J. Carbohydr Chem. 9 393 (1990). 

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