Structure of l-arabino-d-galactan-containing glycoproteins from radish leaves

Two l-arabino-d-galactan-containing glycoproteins having a potent inhibitory activity against eel anti-H agglutinin were isolated from the hot saline extracts of mature radish leaves and characterized to have a similar monosaccharide composition that consists of l-arabinose, d-galactose, l-fucose, 4-O-methyl-d-glucuronic acid, and d-glucuronic acid residues. The chemical structure features of the carbohydrate components were investigated by carboxyl group reduction, methylation, periodate oxidation, partial acid hydrolysis, and digestion with exo- and endo-glycosidases, which indicated a backbone chain of (1→3)-linked β-d-galactosyl residues, to which side chains consisting of α-(1→6)-linked d-galactosyl residues were attached. The α-l-arabinofuranosyl residues were attached as single nonreducing groups and as O-2- or O-3-linked residues to O-3 of the β-d-galactosyl residues of the side chains. Single α-l-fucopyranosyl end groups were linked to O-2 of the l-arabinofuranosyl residues, and the 4-O-methyl-β-d-glucopyranosyluronic acid end groups were linked to d-galactosyl residues. The O-α-l-fucopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-l-arabinofuranosyl end-groups were shown to be responsible for the serological, H-like activity of the l-arabino-d-galactan glycoproteins. Reductive alkaline degradation of the glycoconjugates showed that a large proportion of the polysaccharide chains is conjugated with the polypeptide backbone through a 3-O-d-galactosylserine linkage.     

Selenium derivatives of L-arabinose, D-ribose,and D-xylose

Attempted cyclization of 2,3,4-tri-O-methyl-5-seleno-L-arabinose dimethyl acetal in acidic solution gave the corresponding diselenide. Intramolecular attack by the selenobenzyl group at C-5 of 5-O-p-tolylsulfonyl-L-arabinose dibenzyl diseleno-acetal resulted in the formation of benzyl 1,5-diseleno-L-arabinopyranoside. Similarly, 2,3,5-tri-O-methyl-4-O-p-tolylsulfonyl-D-xylose dibenzyl diselenoacetal gave benzyl 2,3,5-tri-O-methyl-1,4-diseleno-L-arabinofuranoside, and 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-5-O-p-tolylsulfonyl-D-xylose (or ribose) dibenzyl diselenoacetal gave benzyl 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-1,5-diseleno-D-xylo- (or ribo-)pyranoside. The glycosylic benzylseleno group was removed from the pyranoside with mercuric acetate, but attempted deacetylation of the product led to decomposition and not to the expected 5-seleno-D-xylopyranose.     

The synthesis of antigenic determinants for yeast d-mannan,and a linear (1→6)-α-d-gluco-d-mannan,and their protein conjugates

2-O-Benzoyl-3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-1-O-tosyl-d-mannopyranose and 2,3,4-tri-O- benzyl-6-O-(N-phenylcarbamoyl)-1-O-tosyl-d-glucopyranose were allowed to react with partially blocked 2-[4-(p-toluenesulfonamido)phenyl]ethyl α-d-manno- and -gluco-pyranosides. Disaccharides having α-d-Manp-(1→2)-α-D-Manp, α-d-manp-(1→6)-α-d-Manp, α-d-Manp-(1→6)-α-d-Manp, and α-d-Glcp-(1→6)-α-d-Manp structures, and a branched trisaccharide having the structure α-d-Manp-(1→2)-[α-d-Manp-(1→6)]-α-d-Manp were synthesized. The oligosaccharides were deblocked with sodium in liquid ammonia to give glycopyranosides having a free primary aromatic amine which were converted into isothiocyanate derivatives with thiophosgene. The functionalized oligosaccharides were then coupled to bovine serum albumin to give protein conjugates.     

Synthesis and characterization of propyl O-β-d-galactopyranosyl-(1→4)-O-β-d-galactopyranosyl-(1→4)-α-d-galactopyranoside

Allyl 4-O-(4-O-acetyl-2-O-benzoyl-3,6-di-O-benzyl-β-d-galactopyranosyl)-2-O-benzoyl-3,6-di-O-benzyl-α-d- galactopyranoside was O-deallylated to give the 1-hydroxy derivative, and this was converted into the corresponding 1-O-(N-phenylcarbamoyl) derivative, treatment of which with dry HCl produced the α-d-galactopyranosyl chloride. This was converted into the corresponding 2,2,2-trifluoroethanesulfonate, which was coupled to allyl 2-O-benzoyl-3,6-di-O-benzyl-α-d-galactopyranoside, to give crystalline allyl 4-O-[4-O-(4-O-acetyl-2-O-benzoyl-3,6-di-O-benzyl-β-d-galactopyranosyl)-2-O-benzoyl-3,6-di- O-benzyl-β-d-galactopyranosyl]-2-O-benzoyl-3,6-di-O-benzyl-α-d-galactopyranoside (15) in 85% yield, no trace of the α anomer being found. The trisaccharide derivative 15 was de-esterified with 2% KCN in 95% ethanol, and the product O-debenzylated with H₂-Pd, to give the unprotected trisaccharide. Alternative sequences are discussed.     

Acetalation of d-glucitol: 2,3:5,6-Di-O-isopropylidene-d-glucitol

The reaction of d-glucitol with acetone-zinc chloride gave a mixture of isopropylidene derivatives, from which the 2,3:5,6-diacetal (12) could be separated as its 1,4-dimesylate (13) or 1,4-ditosylate (14). The structure of 12 was proved by converting 14, via the 1-mono-iodide, into the known 1-deoxy-d-glucitol, and by mass-spectrometric investigation of the 1-deoxy-4-O-methyl diacetal. The terminally situated acetal group in 12 can be selectively hydrolyzed, and, on treatment with base, the 5,6-dihydroxy derivative obtained gives a d-galactitol 4,5-epoxide derivative.     

Synthesis of 3-amino-2,3,6-trideoxy-d-ribo- and -l-lyxo-hexofuranoses suitable for nucleoside synthesis

N-Acetylepidaunosamine (3-acetamido-2,3,6-trideoxy-d-ribo-hexopyranose) was converted into the diethyl dithioacetal and this was cyclized with HgCi₂, HgO, and MeOH, to give methyl 3-acetamido-2,3,6-trideoxy-α- and -β-d-ribo-hexofuranoside (4 and 5). These anomers were acetylated or (p-nitrobenzoyl)ated, and the esters were subjected to acetolysis, to afford 3-acetamido-1,5-di-O-acetyl-2,3,6-trideoxy-d-ribo-hexofuranose and 3-acetamido-1-O-acetyl-2,3,6-trideoxy-5-O-(p-nitrobenzoyl)-d-ribo-hexofuranose, respectively. Alternatively, compounds 4 and 5 were hydrolyzed to the free bases with barium hydroxide, and these were converted into the trifluoroacetamido derivatives which, on (p-nitrobenzoyl)ation and acetolysis, afforded 1-O-acetyl-2,3,6-trideoxy-5-O-(p-nitrobenzoyl)-3-(trifluoroacetamido)-d-ribo-hexofuranose. To prepare the corresponding daunosamine derivative, 2,3,6-trideoxy-3-(trifluoroacetamido)-l-lyxo-hexopyranose was converted into the diethyl dithioacetal, and this was cyclized in the same way, to afford methyl 2,3,6-trideoxy-3-(trifluoroacetamido)-α- and -β-l-lyxo-hexofuranoside. On (p-nitrobenzoyl)ation and acetolysis, both afforded 1-O-acetyl-2,3,6-trideoxy-5-O-(p-nitrobenzoyl)-3-(trifluoroacetamido)-l-lyxo-hexofuranose.     

Syntheses of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-α-D-glucopyranosyl-α-d-glucopyranose (n-acetylmaltosamine) and 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-α-d-glucopyranose

Condensation of benzyl 2-acetamido-3,6-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-α-D-glucopyranoside with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-1-O-(N-methyl)acetimidoyl-β-D-glucopyranose gave benzyl 2-acetamido-3,6-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-4-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-α-D-glucopyranosyl)-α-D-glucopyranoside which was catalytically hydrogenolysed to crystalline 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-α-D-glucopyranosyl-α-D-glucopyranose (N-acetylmaltosamine). In an alternative route, the aforementioned imidate was condensed with 2-acetamido-3-O-acetyl-1,6-anhydro-2-deoxy-β-D-glucopyranose, and the resulting disaccharide was catalytically hydrogenolysed, acetylated, and acetolysed to give 2-acetamido-1,3,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-4-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-α-D-glucopyranosyl)-α-D-glucopyranose Deacetylation gave N-acetylmaltosamine. The synthesis of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-α-D-glucopyranose involved condensation of benzyl 2-acetamido-3,6-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-α-D-glucopyranoside with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-α-D-glucopyranosyl bromide in the presence of mercuric bromide, followed by deacetylation and catalytic hydrogenolysis of the condensation product.     

Synthesis of 4-deoxy-d-xylo-hexose and 4-azido-4-deoxy-d-glucose and their effects on lactose synthase

Syntheses are reported of 4-deoxy-d-xylo-hexose and 4-azido-4-deoxy-d-glucose as potential inhibitors for lactose synthase [uridine 5′-(α-d-galactopyranosyl pyrophosphate):d-glucose 4-β-d-galactopyranosyltransferase, EC 2.4.1.22]. These syntheses involved SN2 displacement of the 4-methylsulfonyloxy group of methyl 2,3,6-tri-O-benzoyl-4-O-methylsulfonyl-α-d-galactopyranoside by iodide and azide ions. In both cases, inversion in configuration was observed. The resulting intermediates, methyl 2,3,6-tri-O-benzoyl-deoxy-4-iodo-α-d-glucopyranoside and methyl 4-azido-2,3,6-tri-O-benzoyl-deoxy-α-d-glucopyranoside, were obtained in crystalline form. Both 4-deoxy-d-xylo-hexose and 4-azido-4-deoxy-d-glucose were found to be inhibitors for lactose synthase in the presence of α-lactalbumin, but had no effect in the absence of α-lactalbumin. Both d-glucose analogues bind to the enzyme system far more weakly than d-glucose, suggesting that the recognition of the 4-OH group of the acceptor substrate is an important factor in binding.     

Synthesis of acetylenic sugars and uronic acids via two-carbon chain extension of d-ribose

Treatment of methyl β-d-ribofuranoside with acetone gave methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-ribofuranoside (1, 90%), whereas methyl α-d-ribofuranoside gave a mixture (30%) of 1 and methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-α-d-ribofuranoside (1a). On oxidation, 1 gave methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-ribo-pentodialdo-1,4-furanoside (2), whereas no similar product was obtained on oxidation of 1a. Ethynylmagnesium bromide reacted with 2 in dry tetrahydrofuran to give a 1:1 mixture (95%) of methyl 6,7-dideoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-allo- (3) and -α-l-talo-hept-6-ynofuranoside (4). Ozonolysis of 3 and 4 in dichloromethane gave the corresponding d-allo- and l-talo-uronic acids, characterized as their methyl esters (5 and 6) and 5-O-formyl methyl esters (5a and 6a). Ozonolysis in methanol gave a mixture of the free uronic acid and the methyl ester, and only a small proportion of the 5-O-formyl methyl ester. Malonic acid reacted with 2 to give methyl 5,6-dideoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-ribo-trans-hept-5-enofuranosiduronic acid (7).     

Synthesis of crystalline derivatives of 6-deoxy-d-allo- and -l-talo-furanosyl bromide suitable for nucleoside synthesis

6-Deoxy-2,3,5-tri-O-(p-nitrobenzoyl)-β-d-allo- and -α-l-talo-furanosyl bromide (6 and 11) have been synthesized from methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-ribo-pentodialdo-1,4-furanoside (1). Treatment of 1 with methyl Grignard reagent, followed by (p-nitrobenzoyl)ation, afforded two 5-epimers, methyl 6-deoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-5-O-(p-nitrobenzoyl)-β-d-allo- and -α-l-talo-furanosides (3 and 8) which were fractionally recrystallized. The l-talo isomer (8) separated first, and was treated with acid to remove the isopropylidene group, the product (p-nitrobenzoyl)ated, and the ester reacted with hydrogen bromide in acetic acid, to afford crystalline compound 11. The mother liquor from the fractional recrystallization was treated with acid, whereby methyl 6-deoxy-5-O-p-nitrobenzoyl)-d-allofuranoside was isolated. It was (p-nitrobenzoyl)ated, and the ester treated with hydrogen bromide in acetic acid, to afford crystalline bromide 6.     

Synthesis of 3-O Substituted D-Mannoses

1,2,4,6-Tetra-O-acetyl-3-O-benzyl-α-D-mannopyranose (7) was obtained in good yield from 3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-1,2-O-(1-methoxyethylidene)-β-D-mannopyranose (1) by acetolysis. Hydrogenolysis of 7 afforded 1,2,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-α-D-mannopyranose which is a versatile intermediate for the preparation of other 3-O-substituted D-mannoses, such as 3-O-methyl-D-mannose and 3-O-α-D-mannopyranosyl-D-mannose. 3,4-Di-O-methyl-D-mannose was readily prepared from 1,2,6-tri-O-acetyl-3,4-di-O-benzyl-α-D-mannopyranose, which was also obtained from 1 by controlled acetolysis.     

Reactions of 4,6-disulphonates of methyl d-glucopyranosides and methyl d-galactopyranosides with thio-nucleophiles

The reactions of some 4,6-disulphonates of methyl 2,3-di-O-acyl-(and di-O-methyl)-d-glucopyranosides and -galactopyranosides, with thiocyanate, thioacetate, and thiobenzoate anions, have been studied under a variety of conditions. In the glucoside series, somewhat similar reactivity is shown by isomers differing only in anomeric configuration, and there is no very great difference between the reactivities of a 2,3-dibenzoate and its 2,3-di-O-methyl analogue. In contrast to the situation in the β-d-galactoside series, the presence of O-benzoyl groups in an α-d-galactoside does not have an unfavourable effect on displacement at C-4. Two hexose derivatives containing the novel 4,6-epithio bridge are described.     

13C-N.M.R. characterizations of the sarsasapogenin disaccharides,the filiferins a and b: 2-O-(β-d-xylopyranosyl)- and 2-O(β-d-glucopyranosyl)-β-d-galactopyranosides

Filiferin B is identical to timosaponin A-III, which had previously been shown to be 3-O-[2-O-(β-d-glucopyranosyl)-β-d-galactopyranosyl]sarsasapogenin. A larger-scale isolation of filiferin B from the seeds of Yucca filifera led to the isolation of filiferin A, now shown to be 3-O-[2-O-β-d-xylopyranosyl)-β-d-galactopyranosyl]-sarsasapogenin. The presence of the xylose residue was established by way of hydrolysis. 8-Methoxycarbonyloctyl 2-O-(β-d-glucopyranosyl)-β-d-galactopyranoside was synthesized to serve as a model for interpretation of the ¹³C-n.m.r. spectrum of filiferin B. The information thus gained, together with the ¹³C-n.m.r. spectra of other, simple model-compounds, permitted assignment of the structure for filiferin A. 8-Methoxycarbonyloctyl 2-O-(α-d-glucopyranosyl)-β-d-galactopyranoside was also synthesized.     

An approach to stereoselective preparation of 3-C-glycosylated d- and l-glucals

An approach to stereoselective synthesis of α- or β-3-C-glycosylated l- or d-1,2-glucals starting from the corresponding α- or β-glycopyranosylethanals is described. The key step of the approach is the stereoselective cycloaddition of chiral vinyl ethers derived from both enantiomers of mandelic acid. The preparation of 1,5-anhydro-4,6-di-O-benzyl-2,3-dideoxy-3-C-[(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl)methyl]-l-arabino-hex-1-enitol, 1,5-anhydro-4,6-di-O-benzyl-2,3-dideoxy-3-C-[(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl)methyl]-d-arabino-hex-1-enitol, and 1,5-anhydro-4,6-di-O-benzyl-2,3-dideoxy-3-C-[(2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-α-l-fucopyranosyl)methyl]-d-arabino-hex-1-enitol serves as an example of this approach.     

Preparation of some acylated D-arabino-hexopyranosuloses and 4-deoxy-D-glycero-hex-3-enopyranosuloses

Oxidation of 1,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzoyl-α- and β-D-glucopyranose gave the tetra-O-benzoyl-α- and -β-D-arabino-hexopyranosuloses (3α and β), from which benzoic acid was readily eliminated to give the anomeric tri-O-benzoyl-4-deoxy-D-glycero-hex-3-enopyranosuloses (4α and β). The anomeric 1-O-acetyl-tri-O-benzoyl-D-arabino-hexopyranosuloses (7α and β) were obtained as very unstable syrups which readily lost benzoic acid. Treatment of tetra-O-benzoyl-2-O-benzyl-D-glucopyranose (1) with hydrogen bromide gave 3,4,6-tri-O-benzoyl-α-D-glucopyranosyl bromide (5) in one step.     

Mode of action of a xylanase and its significance for the structural investigation of the branched l-arabino-d-glucurono-d-xylan from redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)

The substitution pattern of the water-soluble l-arabino-(4-O-methyl-d-glucurono)-d-xylan from redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) has been studied by enzymic degradation. Exhaustive hydrolysis by an endo-xylanase (EC 3.2.1.8) from a Basidiomycete Sporotrichum dimorphosporum left a residue accounting for 20% of the original d-xylan. In the dialyzable material, oligosaccharides having arabinose or 4-O-methylglucuronic acid residues attached to the non-reducing d-xylosyl end-group of xylobiose or xylotriose, respectively, were the smallest branched oligomers released. Action of the xylanase appears to involve a region of the polysaccharide backbone having three xylosyl residues. A mode of action is proposed that requires unsubstituted hydroxyl groups at C-2, C-3, and C-2′ of a xylobiosyl residue. The binding site seems to correspond to a shallow cavity. The composition and structure of the final residue of attack shows that the enzyme has no action when the xylosyl residues branched through O-2 are separated by only one, unsubstituted xylose residue. This pattern of action, the nature of the dialyzable products, and the production of a final residue in which the substituents are accumulated, suggest that the arabinosyl and glucosyl-uronic groups are irregularly distributed on the main chain of the xylan from redwood and that in some regions they are in close vicinity when not actually on adjacent xylosyl residues.     

Solubilization of pulmonary angiotensin-converting enzyme with 1-O-n-octyl-β-d-glucopyranoside

Ninety percent of rat pulmonary angiotensin-converting enzyme was solubilized in a single step using the nonionic detergent 1-O-n-octyl-β-d-glucopyranoside. This detergent has low absorbance at 228 nm and, thus, is compatible with the commonly used spectrophotometric assay of D. W. Cushman and H. S. Cheung (1971, Biochem. Pharmacol.20, 1637–1648). The maximum solubilization occurred with 30 mm 1-O-n-octyl-β-d-glucopyranoside and at this concentration of detergent a four-fold increase in specific activity was observed.     

Synthesis of a 6-c-nitro-d-glucopyranose derivative having phosphorus in the hemiacetal ring

5,6-Dideoxy-6-C-nitro-5-(phenylphosphino)-d-glucopyranose was prepared by addition of phenylphosphine to 3-O-acetyl-5,6-dideoxy-1,2-O-isopropylidene-6-C-nitro-α-d-xylo-hex-5-enofuranose, followed by hydrolysis of the resulting 3-O-acetyl-5,6-dideoxy-1,2-O-isopropylidene-6-C-nitro-5-(phenylphosphino)-d-glucofuranose (10). Acetylation of 10 gave the crystalline 1,2,3,4-tetraacetate (16). 5,6-Dideoxy-6-C-nitro-5-(phenylphosphinyl)-d-glucopyranose (15) was obtained by oxidation of 10, and hydrolysis of the resulting 5-phenylphosphinyl compound. Acetylation of 15 gave the 1,2,3,4-tetraacetate (17). Although the n.m.r. spectrum of 17 was complex, the n.m.r. spectrum of 16 was rather simple. The n.m.r. data showed that 16 is the α anomer in the ⁴C₁(d) conformation.     

Stereoselective entry into the d-GalNAc series starting from the d-Gal one: a new access to N-acetyl-d-galactosamine and derivatives thereof

A new stereoselective preparation of N-aceyl-d-galactosamine (1b) starting from the known p-methoxyphenyl 3,4-O-isopropylidene-6-O-(1-methoxy-1-methylethyl)-β-d-galactopyranoside (10) is described using a simple strategy based on (a) epimerization at C-2 of 10 via oxidation-reduction to give the talo derivative 11, (b) amination with configurational inversion at C-2 of 11 via a S_N2-type reaction on its 2-imidazylate, (c) anomeric deprotection of the p-methoxyphenyl β-d-galactosamine glycoside 14, (d) complete deprotection. Applying the same protocol to 2,3:5,6:3′,4′-tri-O-isopropylidene-6′-O-(1-methoxy-1-methylethyl)-lactose dimethyl acetal (4), directly obtained through acetonation of lactose, the disaccharide β-d-GalNAcp-(1→4)-d-Glcp (1a) was obtained with complete stereoselectivity in good (40%) overall yield from lactose.     

Synthesis of D-ristosamine and its derivatives

A convenient preparative route involving eleven steps starting from D-glucose is described for the synthesis of D-ristosamine (15) hydrochloride. Methyl 2-deoxy-β-D-arabino-hexopyranoside, prepared from 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-1,5-anhydro-2-deoxy-D-arabino-hex- 1-enitol, was benzylidenated, and the product mesylated to give methyl 4,6-O-benzylidene-2-deoxy-3-O-methylsulfonyl-β-D-arabino-hexopyranoside. Azidolysis of this compound and subsequent opening of the 1,3-dioxane ring with N-bromosuccinimide gave methyl 3-azido-4-O-benzoyl-6-bromo-2,3,6-trideoxy-βD-ribo-hexopyranoside. Simultaneous reduction of the azido and bromo groups gave a mixture that was benzoylated to give methyl N,O-dibenzoyl-β-D-ristosaminide and then hydrolyzed to 15 hydrochloride (3-amino-2,3,6-trideoxy-D-ribo-hexopyranose hydrochloride).