In this study, bromoalkyl glycosides were successfully synthesized in microreactor scale by Fischer glycosylation. Yields between 24 and 40% after purification were achieved using various acidic catalysts and conditions. In some experiments, yields 180% higher than with previously known methods could be achieved. This study showed also that reversed-phase flash chromatography is more successful than normal-phase flash chromatography for the purification of bromoalkyl glycosides. Furthermore, longer bromoalcohols were shown to be more compatible than shorter bromoalcohols under these reaction conditions.

Fischer glycosylation is typically the chemical reaction of a monosaccharide and an alcohol in presence of an acidic catalyst to afford glycosides in pyranosidic and furanosidic forms. This reaction is still applied today for the synthesis of specialized glycosides, and optimization and modification of the method have continued since its discovery by Emil Fischer in the 1890s. This review presents advancements in Fischer glycosylation described in literature of the past 15 years and its implementation in modern chemical methods.