New approaches for the stereoselective synthesis of glycans of therapeutic interest

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It is now recognized that carbohydrates and their conjugates are involved in a plethora of important biological processes such as the immune response and bacterial infections. Well-defined glycans are urgently needed for the in-depth understanding of these mechanisms as well as for the development of sugar-based medicines. In the last years, advances in chemical synthesis have made possible the preparation of complex glycans free from biological contaminants, some of which have been approved as therapeutics. However, carbohydrate chemists are still facing important challenges such as the need for non-traditional and eco-friendly synthetic routes as well as the lack of general procedures for the formation of glycosidic bonds. The long-term goal of our research program is to develop novel and straightforward synthetic approaches to access oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates of therapeutic interest. Our first research theme is to achieve the total synthesis of sponge-derived glycolipids of unique structural features following an innovative “programmed” glycosylation reaction. Found within marine sponges of the New Zealand coral reef, the pharmacological potential of these glycolipids has yet to be explored due to the scarcity of the natural source coupled with the tedious purification procedures. The glycolipids will be synthesized in a minimal number of steps based on the differential reactivity of sugars and evaluated