A novel strategy toward the synthesis of N-(β-glycosyl)asparagines based on the alkylation of ethyl nitroacetate using N-(β-glycosyl) iodoacetamides

A conceptually novel strategy has been developed for the synthesis of N-(β-glycosyl)asparagine precursors in good yield by the alkylation of ethyl nitroacetate using six per-O-acetylated N-(β-glycosyl)iodoacetamides derived from mono- and disaccharides. The use of a chiral organocatalyst, N-(9-anthracenylmethyl)cinchoninium chloride (10 mol %), resulted in diastereoselective alkylation up to 64% de. Single crystal structure analysis of the purified major diastereomer of the Glc derivative revealed an absolute configuration of S at the α-carbon of the monosubstituted ethyl nitroacetate which is a precursor of the l-asparagine conjugate. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.