Synthesis of a pentasaccharide fragment of varianose, a cell wall polysaccharide from Penicillium varians

The first synthesis of an oligosaccharide fragment of varianose, a polysaccharide produced by Penicillium varians, is reported. The target pentasaccharide features both alpha- and beta-galactofuranoside residues and the alpha-galactofuranoside residue is hindered, being substituted on adjacent oxygens (O1 and O2), both of which are cis to the two-carbon side chain at C4. Key features of the synthesis include a novel method for the selective protection of the C3 hydroxyl group of galactofuranosyl residues via an epoxide formation/opening sequence, the introduction of the alpha-D-galactofuranosyl residue using a 2,3-anhydrosugar donor, and the use of the 1-benzenesulfinylpiperidine/trifluoromethanesulfonic anhydride activation method for the addition of an alpha-D-glucopyranosyl residue to a hindered hydroxyl group in an advanced tetrasaccharide intermediate.