Incorporation of fluorous glycosides to cell membrane and saccharide chain elongation by cellular enzymes.

A series of fluorous-tagged glycosides with different number of fluorine atoms are incorporated into the cells, transported to Golgi, elongated by cellular enzymes, and then released to the culture medium. Fluorine content strongly affects on the affinity for cell membrane and glycosylation. Essentially, the fluorocarbon chain in fluorous compound and the hydrocarbon chain are not miscible. However, the fluorous-tagged glycosides have affinity for cell membrane because of its amphiphilicity. The affinity of fluoro-amphiphilic compound for cell membrane is discussed using critical micelle concentration. The separation of glycosylated products by solvent extraction or fluorous solid phase extraction cartridges is also discussed.