Axial thioglycosides

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)... 

Wong and coworkers showed that 5-azido sialyl donors protected with O-acetyl ester are useful for a-selective glycosylations of primary hydroxyls (Scheme 4.6e) [169]. It was proposed that the linear and electron-withdrawing nature of the C-5 azido moiety stabilizes the reactive axial acetonitrile adduct to allow the incoming nucleophile to approach the a-face in an SN2-like fashion. In addition, a chemose-lective glycosylation method has been developed for the synthesis of NeuAca-(2 —> 9) NeuAc as thioglycoside donor for use in the subsequent glycosylations [169]. 

Disaccharides of 1-thioglycosides, an important class of glycomimics, can be synthesized by 5-alkylation in exceptionally high yields when iminophosphorane bases are employed. The reaction conditions employed appear to be general and stereospecific. Axial and equatorial 4-triflates and primary tosylates of alkyl pyranosides provided excellent yields of... 

Fig. 2 More O-substituents on the axial position increase the reactivity of thioglycoside donors...

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