Synthesis of a hexasaccharide corresponding to part of the heptose-hexose region of the Salmonella Ra core, and a penta- and a tetra-saccharide that compose parts of this structure.

The synthesis of the hexasaccharide 2-(4-trifluoroacetamidophenyl)ethyl O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->3)-[O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->6)]- O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-[O-L-glycero-alpha-D-manno-heptopyranos yl- (1-->7)]-O-L-glycero-alpha-D-manno-heptopyranosyl-(1-->3)-L-glycero-alph a-D- manno-heptopyranoside, corresponding to the heptose and part of the hexose region in the Salmonella Ra core, is described. Syntheses of the pentasaccharide 2-(4-trifluoroacetamidophenyl)ethyl O-alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->3)-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-[O-L - glycero-alpha-D-manno-heptopyranosyl-(1-->7)]-O-L-glycero-alpha-D-manno- heptopyranosyl-(1-->3)-L-glycero-alpha-D-manno-heptopyranoside and the tetrasaccharide 2-(4-trifluoroacetamidophenyl)ethyl O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-[O-L-glycero-alpha-D-manno-heptopyranos yl- (1-->7)]-O-L-glycero-alpha-D-manno-heptopyranosyl-(1-->3)-L-glycero-alph a-D- manno-heptopyranoside are also described. Coupling of methyl 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-1-thio-beta-D- glucopyranoside and methyl 2-O-benzyl-4,6-O-benzylidene-3-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha-D- galactopyranosyl)-1-thio-beta-D-glucopyranoside to a triheptoside derivative with a free HO-3', using dimethyl(methylthio)sulfonium triflate and N-iodosuccinimide-silver triflate as promoters, gave the protected tetra- and penta-saccharide, respectively. Removal of the benzylidene group from the pentasaccharide followed by a regio- and stereo-selective coupling using halide-assisted conditions and 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha-D- galactopyranosyl bromide as donor gave the protected hexasaccharide. Deprotection then gave the target structures.

Synthesis of 2-(4-trifluoroacetamidophenyl)ethyl O-(L-glycero-alpha-D-manno-heptopyranosyl)-(1----7)-O-(L-glycero-alpha- D-manno- heptopyranosyl)-(1----3)-L-glycero-alpha-D-manno-heptopyranoside, corresponding to the heptose region of the Salmonella Ra core structure.

The title trisaccharide was synthesized from methyl 2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-L-glycero-alpha-D-manno-heptopyranoside by acetolysis, followed by conversion into ethyl thioglycosides and also glycosyl bromides, which were both used in glycosylation reactions. In glycosylations using thioglycosides as glycosyl donors, N-iodosuccinimide-silver triflate and dimethyl(methylthio)sulfonium triflate were used as promoters, and in glycosylations with glycosyl bromides silver triflate was used. The protecting groups introduced into intermediates during the synthesis of the title trisaccharide were designed to allow later glycosylation at O-3' to give larger oligosaccharide fragments of the Salmonella LPS core region, and also to allow the introduction of phosphate groups at O-4 and O-4', a structural element that is suggested to be present in the Ra core.