Conversion of N-acetylneuraminic acid glycosyl chloride into dibenzyl glycosyl phosphate:: O-glycosylation in the absence of a promoter

Readily accessible N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) glycosyl chloride, which was regarded to be a poor glycosyl donor, was shown to react with dibenzyl phosphoric acid salts in the absence of glycosylation promoters to give the corresponding beta-Neu5Ac dibenzyl glycosyl phosphate in high yield.