Anomeric configuration-directed diastereoselective C-C bond formation in vinyl sulfone-modified carbohydrates: a general route to branched-chain sugars.

[structure: see text] This is the first report on the diastereoselective addition of carbon nucleophiles to vinyl sulfone-modified hex-2-enopyranosides and pent-2-enofuranosides. Nucleophiles add to the C-2 position from a direction opposite to that of the disposition of the anomeric methoxy group. This novel concept of anomeric configuration-directed stereocontrolled carbon-carbon bond formation in vinyl sulfone-modified carbohydrates is general in nature and has been implemented in the synthesis of new hexopyranosyl and pentofuranosyl branched-chain sugars and densely functionalized carbohydrates.