We d e s c r i b e L -O -r h a m n o s y l a t i o n a n d D -Oglucosylation reactions using glycosyl donors in which the pyranose rings were restricted in a conformation that possessed more axial substituents. We call this conformation the axial-rich form. Introduction of the bulky silyl-protecting groups onto the adjacent trans-diols on the sugars restricted the conformation to the axial-rich form. The axial-rich L-rhamnosyl donor provided the β-isomer preferentially in the glycosylation reaction when trichloroacetimidate was adopted as the leaving group; however, the α/β ratio was only 1/4. This value was insufficient for practical applications. By contrast, the axial-rich glucosyl donor induced a highly β-selective reaction in which the anomeric α/β ratio was up to 2/98. In this case, the axial-rich skew-boat conformation of the pyranose ring was the key to successful stereoselective glycosylation. This method is an alternative for construction of the β-O-glucosidic linkages without relying upon participation of neighboring groups, a method that has long been employed. The new method was particularly effective for the synthesis of 2-O-glycosylated β-O-glucosides, for which direct construction using the neighboring group participation method is difficult.
A. O-Rhamnosylation Reaction Using Axial-rich Glycosyl DonorL-rhamnose (1) readily provides α-isomers via an O-glycosylation reaction (Scheme 1)(1). But how can we synthesize the β-isomer? We commenced this study to address this question. The marked preference for the α-isomer originates from the steric and stereoelectronic effects, both of which favorably introduce the α-approach of an alcohol, which is a glycosyl acceptor, to the oxocarbenium ion reaction intermediate. Thus, the axial 2-O-substituent hinders the approach from the β-face, as in 2. Additionally, the α-rhamnosidic linkage orients axially to induce an anomeric effect. Therefore, the entire shape of the rhamnose