A new organocatalytic glycosylation method based on electron-deficient pyridinium salts is reported. At ambient temperature and catalyst loadings as low as 1 mol %, 2-deoxyglycosides were formed from benzyl- and silyl-protected glycals and primary or secondary glycosyl acceptors, with excellent yields and anomeric selectivity. Mechanistic investigations point to alcohol-pyridinium conjugates (1,2-addition products) as key intermediates in the catalytic cycle.
Keywords: acetals; anion binding; glycosylation; organocatalysis; pyridinium cations.
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