Synthesis of cardiac glycoside analogs by catalyst-controlled, regioselective glycosylation of digitoxin.

The cardiac glycoside natural product digitoxin was selectively glycosylated at one of its five hydroxyl groups using a borinic acid derived catalyst. This method provided access to the glycosylation pattern characteristic of a subclass of natural products from Digitalis purpurea. Variation of the glycosyl donor was tolerated, enabling the synthesis of novel cardiac glycoside analogs from readily available materials.