Unprotected Carbohydrates as Starting Material in Chemical Synthesis: Not Just a Challenge but an Opportunity

Abstract

Development of reaction sequences that utilize renewable resources, such as carbohydrates, as starting material is of topical interest. Particularly attractive are reaction protocols where unprotected mono- and oligosaccharides are applied. Herein, selected approaches for direct derivatization of unprotected carbohydrates are highlighted. Ultimately, such methodologies are also applicable for natural polysaccharides resulting in rapid development of novel functional biobased materials for future applications. 1 Introduction 2 Reacting Unprotected Carbohydrates as Aldehydes 3 Approaches for Selective Reactions Targeting the Nonanomeric Hydroxyl Groups on Unprotected Carbohydrates 4 Protecting-Group-Free Synthesis of Glycoclusters and Glycoconjugates 5 Conclusions