The use of tetramethylguanidinium azide in non-halogenated solvents avoids potential explosion hazards

Abstract

Tetramethylguanidinium azide was used in the quantitative conversion of glycosyl halides 1 – 5 to the corresponding glycosyl azides 10 – 14. The stereoselective reactions occurred with complete inversion at the anomeric centers. The titled reagent was also employed in the selective synthesis of pseudoglycosyl azide 16 and two steroidal azides 17 and 18. All reactions were carried out in non-halogenated solvents to avoid potential explosion hazards.