Various beta-glycosyl azides have been synthesized directly in water by the reaction of unprotected sugars and sodium azide mediated by 2-chloro-1,3-dimethylimidazolinium chloride (DMC).

Carbohydrates U 0500One-Step Conversion of Unprotected Sugars to β-Glycosyl Azides Using 2-Chloroimidazolinium Salt in Aqueous Solution. -The title reaction requires no protection of hydroxyl groups and proceeds independently of the substituents at the 2-position of the sugar and smoothly in aqueous media. -(TANAKA, T.; NAGAI, H.; NOGUCHI, M.; KOBAYASHI, A.; SHODA*, S.-I.; Chem. Commun. (Cambridge) 2009, 23, 3378-3379; Dep. Biomol. Eng., Grad. Sch. Eng., Tohoku Univ., Aoba, Sendai 980, Japan; Eng.) -M. Paetzel 42-190