Glycosylation by sugar 1,2-O-(1-cyanobenzylidene) derivatives: influence of glycosyl-donor structure and promoter.

3,4,6-Tri-O-acetyl-1,2-O-(1-cyanobenzylidene)-alpha-D-galactopy ranoses with differently substituted aromatic nuclei have been synthesised and used as glycosyl donors in reactions with the acceptors methyl 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-6-O-trityl-beta-D-galactopyranoside (11) and methyl 2,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-3-O-trityl-beta-D-galactopyranoside (12). The glycosylation of 11 gave only beta products. The effeciency and stereoselectivity of the glycosylations of 12 depend on the nature of the substituent in the aromatic ring. The stereoselectivity for the formation of 1,2-trans-glycosidic bonds was the highest with the p-methoxy-benzylidene derivative with triphenylmethylium triflate as the promoter.