De Novo Asymmetric Synthesis of Natural and Unnatural Carbohydrate Motifs

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In this project funded by the Chemical Synthesis Program of the Chemistry Division, Professor George A. O'Doherty of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Northeastern University will explore the development of methods for the de novo synthesis of natural and unnatural oligosaccharide structural motifs. While there exist many chemical and biochemical methods for the construction and isolation of the most common oligosaccharide motifs, there is a dearth of methods for oligosaccharide made up of unnatural sugars. The O'Doherty group plans to develop innovative methods to address this need. The planned approach revolves around the use of asymmetric and diastereoselective catalytic reactions for the highly stereoselective construction of oligosaccharide motifs. This work could lead to the discovery of new methods for the efficient synthesis of oligosaccharides that are difficult to obtain. It is expected that these new methods will allow for a more environmentally benign access to these important structural motifs. In addition, the development of these approaches will enable further biological study of an important class of biomolecules, which in turn could lead to new therapies for the treatment of a myriad of carbohydrate related diseases. In addition, this project will provide excellent training of students from a wide range of backgrounds (e.g., high school, undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral students, including students from groups historically underrepresented in the sciences).