A latent reactive handle for functionalising heparin-like and LMWH deca- and dodecasaccharides.

d-Glucosamine derivatives bearing latent O4 functionality provide modified H/HS-type disaccharide donors for a final stage capping approach enabling introduction of conjugation-suitable, non-reducing terminal functionality to biologically important glycosaminoglycan oligosaccharides. Application to the synthesis of the first O4-terminus modified synthetic LMWH decasaccharide and an HS-like dodecasaccharide is reported.