Legionaminic acid is a nine-carbon diamino monosaccharide that is found coating the surface of various bacterial human pathogens. Its unique structure makes it a valuable biological probe, but access via isolation is difficult and no practical synthesis has been reported. We describe a stereoselective synthesis that yields a legionaminic acid building block as well as linker-equipped conjugation-ready legionaminic acid starting from cheap d-threonine. To set the desired amino and hydroxyl group pattern of the target, we designed a concise sequence of stereoselective reactions. The key transformations rely on chelation-controlled organometallic additions and a Petasis multicomponent reaction. The legionaminic acid was synthesized in a form that enables attachment to surfaces. Glycan microarray containing legionaminic acid revealed that human antibodies bind the synthetic glycoside. The synthetic bacterial monosaccharide is a valuable probe to detect an immune response to bacterial pathogens such as Legionella pneumophila, the causative agent of Legionnaire's disease.

The hydrodefluorination (HDF) of fluoroalkenes in the presence of a variety of titanium catalysts was studied with respect to scope, selectivity, and mechanism. Optimization revealed that the catalyst requires low steric bulk and high electron density; secondary silanes serve as the preferred hydride source. A broad range of substrates yield partially fluorinated alkenes, such as previously unknown (Z)-1,2-(difluorovinyl)ferrocene. Mechanistic studies indicate a titanium(III) hydride as the active species, which forms a titanium(III) fluoride by H/F exchange with the substrate. The HDF step can follow both an insertion/elimination and a σ-bond metathesis mechanism; the E/Z selectivity is controlled by the substrate. The catalysts' ineffieciency towards fluoroallenes was rationalized by studying their reactivity towards Group 6 hydride complexes.

β-Glucans are a group of structurally heterogeneous polysaccharides found in bacteria, fungi, algae and plants. β-(1,3)-D-Glucans have been studied in most detail due to their impact on the immune system of vertebrates. The studies into the immunomodulatory properties of these glucans are typically carried out with isolates that contain a heterogeneous mixture of polysaccharides of different chain lengths and varying degrees of branching. In order to determine the structure-activity relationship of β-(1,3)-glucans, access to homogeneous, structurally-defined samples of these oligosaccharides that are only available through chemical synthesis is required. The syntheses of β-glucans reported to date rely on the classical solution-phase approach. We describe the first automated solid-phase synthesis of a β-glucan oligosaccharide that was made possible by innovating and optimizing the linker and glycosylating agent combination. A β-(1,3)-glucan dodecasaccharide was assembled in 56 h in a stereoselective fashion with an average yield of 88% per step. This automated approach provides means for the fast and efficient assembly of linker-functionalized mono- to dodecasaccharide β-(1,3)-glucans required for biological studies.