Synthesis of an alpha-linked dimer of the trisaccharide repeating unit of the exopolysaccharide produced by Pediococcus damnosus 2.6.

A hexasaccharide, beta-D-Glcp-(1-->3)-[beta-D-Glcp-(1-->2)]-alpha-D-Glcp-(1-->3)-beta-D-Glcp-(1-->3)-[beta-D-Glcp-(1-->2)]-D-Glcp, the alpha-linked dimer of the trisaccharide repeating unit of the exopolysaccharide produced by Pediococcus damnosus 2.6, was synthesized as its methyl glycoside. Condensation of fully benzoylated alpha-D-glucopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate (1) with isopropyl 4,6-O-benzylidene-1-thio-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2) selectively furnished (1-->3)-linked disaccharide 3, and subsequent 2-O-acetylation, desulfation, and trichloroacetimidate formation afforded the disaccharide donor 6. Meanwhile, selective 3-O-coupling of methyl 4,6-O-benzylidene-alpha-d-glucopyranoside (8) with 3-O-allyl-2,4,6-tri-O-benzoyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate (7), followed by coupling with 1 gave the trisaccharide 10. Removal of the benzylidene group of 10, benzoylation, and deallylation produced the trisaccharide acceptor 12. Condensation of 12 with 6 yielded a pentasaccharide mixture 13 with beta and alpha isomers in a ratio of 2:1. Removal of the benzylidene group of 13, followed by benzoylation gave the pentasaccharide mixture 14. Selective 2'''-deacetylation of the isolated beta-linked 14beta with MeCOCl/MeOH/CH2Cl2 did not give the expected pentasaccharide acceptor, and serious decomposition occurred, indicating a large steric hindrance at C-2'''. Alternatively, 2,3-di-O-glycosylation of allyl 4,6-O-benzylidene-beta-D-glucopyranoside (21) with 1 gave 22, then deallylation and trichloroacetimidate formation afforded the trisaccharide donor 24. Condensation of 12 with 24 furnished only the alpha-linked hexasaccharide 25, and its deprotection gave the free hexaoside 27.