Synthesis of the two monomethyl esters of the disaccharide 4-O-alpha-D-galacturonosyl-D-galacturonic acid and of precursors for the preparation of higher oligomers methyl uronated in definite sequences.

Methyl (alpha-D-galactopyranosyluronic acid)-(1-->4)-D-galactopyranuronate and methyl alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-uronate-(1-->4)-D-galactopyranuronic acid have been synthesized by coupling methyl (benzyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-beta-D-galactopyranosid)uronate (3) or benzyl (benzyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-beta-D-galactopyranosid)uronate (4) with benzyl (phenyl 2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-1-thio-beta-D-galactopyranosid)uronate and methyl (phenyl 2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-1-thio-beta-D-galactopyranosid)uronate, respectively, using N-iodosuccinimide and trifluoromethanesulphonic acid as promoters, followed by removal of the benzyl groups. The 4'-OH unprotected dimers benzyl (methyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-alpha-D-galactopyranosyluronate)-(1-->4)-(benzyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-beta-D-galactopyranosid)uronate and methyl (benzyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-alpha-D-galactopyranosyluronate)-(1-->4)-(benzyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-beta-D-galactopyranosid)uronate were prepared from methyl (phenyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-1-thio-4-O-trimethylsilyl-beta-D-galactopyranosid) uronate and benzyl (phenyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-1-thio-4-O-trimethylsilyl-beta-D-galactopyranosid) uronate and acceptors 4 or 3, respectively. These compounds have been designed to serve as precursors for the preparation of higher-membered D-galacturonic acid oligomers methyl esterified in definite positions.