New chemical processes to streamline carbohydrate synthesis

Abstract

Carbohydrates hold potential for the future of therapeutic development due to their important role in essential biological processes. However, it is still challenging to produce homogenous materials, especially for non-mammalian sugars that are considered rare. Recent developments in this field have focused on catalytic methods, including organometallic and organocatalytic approaches to regioselective functionalization. Many approaches to glycosylations also utilize catalysts, increasingly in combination with photoredox conditions, to achieve stereoselectivity. Additionally, there have been significant advancements in the automation of glycosylation to synthesize oligosaccharides in less time and with fewer manually conducted steps by the user.

Keywords: Automation; Catalysis; Glycosylation; Organocatalysis; Photoredox; Regioselectivity; Stereoselectivity.