Synthetic carbohydrate-containing dendrimers

Dendrimers coated with carbohydrates on their exterior surfaces have been constructed by using both convergent and divergent synthetic routes. Alternatively, cluster glycosides in the form of highly branched oligosaccharides can serve as dendritic wedges in the subsequent elaboration of fully carbohydrate dendrimers. It is anticipated that these novel saccharide-containing polymers, which are highly branched and water-soluble, will find applications of a biological nature as well as in the context of new materials.