Synthesis of alternate linear and branched repeating units of the Escherichia coli LP 1092 capsular polysaccharide containing 3-deoxy-alpha-D-manno-2-octulosonic acid (KDO) linked to secondary positions of D-ribose

The oligosaccharides, methyl 3-O-(sodium 3-deoxy-alpha-D-manno-2-octulopyranosylonate)-beta-D-ribofuranosid e, methyl 2-O-beta-D-ribofuranosyl-3-O-(sodium 3-deoxy-alpha-D-manno-2-octulopyranosylonate)-beta-D-ribofuranosid e, and methyl O-(sodium 3-deoxy-alpha-D-manno-2-octulopyranosylonate)-(2----2)-O-beta-D- ribofuranosyl-(1----2)-beta-D-ribofuranoside were prepared in high purity and good over-all yields. The constitutions of the trisaccharide derivatives correspond to the repeating units of the proposed linear and branched structures of the capsular polysaccharide(s) from Escherichia coli LP 1092. The alpha-KDO-(2----3)-beta-D-Ribf and alpha-KDO-(2----2)-beta-D-Ribf units were synthesized by a modification of the Helferich procedure using methyl (4,5,7,8-tetra-O-acetyl-3-deoxy-alpha-D-manno-2-octulopyranosyl bromide)-onate and appropriate beta-D-ribofuranosyl derivatives. The constitutional and configurational assignments were based on the 250-MHz 1H-n.m.r.-spectra of protected derivatives of the oligosaccharides.