Polyhydroxylated homoazepanes and 1-deoxy-homonojirimycin analogues: Synthesis and glycosidase inhibition study.

The Johnson-Claisen rearrangement of D-gluco and L-ido-derived allylic orthoesters afforded gamma,delta-unsaturated ester that on ester reduction, epoxidation, regioselective oxirane opening by sodium azide and hydrogenation led to sugar amino alcohols--immediate precursors for 1-deoxy-homonojirimycin 3a,b, and polyhydroxylated homoazepanes 4a,b. Our synthetic approach and glycosidase inhibitory activity is reported.