Toward automated synthesis of oligosaccharides and glycoproteins.

The discovery of previously unknown functions associated with carbohydrates and the study of their structure-function relations are of current interest in carbohydrate chemistry and biology. Progress in this area is, however, hampered by the lack of convenient and effective tools for the synthesis and analysis of oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates. Development of automated synthesis of such materials is necessary to facilitate research in this field. This review describes recent advances in carbohydrate synthesis, with particular focus on developments that have potential application to the automated synthesis of oligosaccharides, glycopeptides, and glycoproteins.