Biocatalytic and chemical investigations in the synthesis of sucrose analogues

Herein, we report about the synthesis of sucrose analogues, obtained by two different approaches: a chemical and an enzymatic. The one step synthesis of the sucrose analogues with the exo-fructosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.162) from Bacillus subtilis NCIMB 11871, which transfers the fructosyl residue of the substrate sucrose to the monosaccharide acceptors galactose, mannose, xylose and fucose, has been developed. Effects in the fructosylation by variation of the positions of the hydroxyl-groups in glycopyranoside acceptors have been studied in respect to their acceptor properties. In contrast, the chemical equivalent nonenzymatic organic synthesis of galacto-sucrose and mannosucrose has been achieved including six synthetic steps. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.