Glycosyl oligosaccharide synthesis

Of the many methods described for glycoside synthesis, those predominantly used in current oligosaccharide synthesis, in which the glycosyl donor has O- or N- functionality at C-2 (that is, excluding 2-deoxyglycosides), are the following ... 

Silicon presents an attractive option among eledrophilic activating and dehydrating agents of hemiacetals because of the wide commercial availability of eledrophilic silicon sources. The two main classes of silicon electrophiles used, namely silyl halides and silyl sulfonates, have been demonstrated to promote a variety of glycosylations including some examples of oligosaccharide synthesis. 

In conclusion, the phenyl selenoglycosides are versatile building blocks for oligosaccharide synthesis. Through judicious choice of protecting groups, and particularly promoters, they can be exploited as either donors or acceptors in glycosylation... 

F. Barresi and F. O. Hindsgaul, Glycosylation methods in oligosaccharide synthesis Modern Synthetic Methods, 1995, 7, 281. 

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