A SHORT SYNTHETIC ROUTE TOWARDS A BIOLOGICALLY-ACTIVE HEPARIN-LIKE PENTASACCHARIDE WITH A PSEUDO-ALTERNATING SEQUENCE

Simplification of the structure but maintenance of the biological activity-this (successful) strategy was the basis for the synthesis of 1, the ''non-glycosamino'' glycan analogue of the pentasaccharide domain of heparin responsible for binding antithrombin III. The disaccharide corresponding to the EF building block could be prepared from a protected derivative of fragment GH by base-catalyzed epimerization at C5. The number of synthetic steps was thus significantly reduced. [GRAPHICS]