Synthesis of oligosaccharides corresponding to structures found in capsular polysaccharides of Cryptococcus neoformans--II.

Formula 1 depicts a generalized structure of the capsular polysaccharides of four serotypes of the opportunistic microorganism Cryptococcus neoformans, which appears as one of the major infections in the late stages of development of AIDS. Syntheses are now described of two tetrasaccharides with corresponding structures. These are methyl O-alpha-D-mannopyranosyl-(1-->3)-[O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->2)] -O-alpha-D-mannopyranosyl-(1-->3)-alpha-D-mannopyranoside and methyl O-alpha-D-mannopyranosyl-(1-->3)-[O-beta-D-glucopyranosyluronic acid-(1-->2)]-O-alpha-D-mannopyranosyl-(1-->3)-alpha-D-mannopyranoside.