N-halosuccinimide/AgNO3-efficient reagent systems for one-step synthesis of 2-haloglycals from glycals: application in the synthesis of 2C-branched sugars via Heck coupling reactions.

An expedient one-step synthesis of 2-iodoglycals and 2-bromoglycals from glycals using NIS/AgNO3 and NBS/AgNO3 as reagent systems has been developed. The utility of these 2-haloglycals has been demonstrated by converting them into 2C-branched glycals via the Heck coupling reaction. Ferrier reaction of tri-O-acetyl-2-iodoglycals followed by Heck coupling reaction with methyl acrylate leads to 2C-branched O-glycosides.