ABSTRACT
A facile, α-stereoselective glycoside synthesis of sialic acids, α-sialyl-(2→8)-sialic acid, and α-sialyl-(2→8)-α-sialyl-(2→8)-sialic acid by use of their protected methyl or phenyl 2-thioglycosides as the glycosyl donor and the suitably protected sugar acceptors in acetonitrile solution is described. This procedure is effectively applied to the systematic synthesis of sialoglycoconjugates such as a variety of sialo-oligosaccharides and gangliosides, in order to elucidate their functions at the molecular level.
