Catalytic glycosylation with glycosyl thioimidate donors

A new class of glycosyl thioimidates, glycosyl N-phenyl-trifluorothioacetimidates, were prepared from the readily available glycosyl thiols in excellent yields. These imidates exhibited very good donor properties under the action of catalytic amounts of BF3 center dot Et2O, and the corresponding glycosidation products were formed in very good to excellent yields. Thus, the first catalytic glycosylations with glycosyl thioimidate donors were achieved. (C) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008.