Investigations of glycosylation reactions with 2-N-acetyl-2N,3O-oxazolidinone-protected glucosamine donors.

NIS/AgOTf-promoted glycosylations with ethyl 2,3-N,O-carbonyl-2-deoxy-1-thio-beta-D-glucopyranoside donors can be performed with either alpha- or beta-selectivity by tuning the reaction conditions. Small amounts of AgOTf (0.1 equiv) and short reaction times give beta-selectivity, whereas 0.4 equiv of AgOTf and prolonged reaction times afford alpha-linked products. NMR-monitored glycosylation and anomerization experiments show initial formation of exclusively the beta-linkage, which anomerizes, through an intramolecular mechanism involving an endocyclic C-O bond cleavage, to the alpha-linkage.