Novel Dendritic alpha-Sialosides: Synthesis of Glycodendrimers Based on a 3,3'-Iminobis(propylamine) Core

The cluster or multivalent effect has been recognized as an effective means by which to increase binding interactions between carbohydrates and proteins. In fact, it has been demonstrated that sialylated multibranched L-lysine dendrimers were potent inhibitors of hemagglutination of human erythrocytes by Influenza viruses. In a continuation of these studies, the synthesis of novel glycodendrimers with even valencies from 2 to 16 and ending with equidistant thiosialoside residues is described. These symmetrical dendrimers were more readily characterized by standard NMR spectral techniques than previously reported nonsymmetrical dendrimers of this general type. The synthesis of the dendritic core was based on the regioselective protection of the primary amines of 3,3'-iminobis(propylamine) (4) using benzyl cyanoformate. The resulting secondary amine 5 was alkylated with tert-butyl bromoacetate to provide divalent core structure 6 with Cbz protected amines and acid protected tert-butyl ester. Sequential deprotection by trifluoroacetolysis or hydrogenation afforded acid 7 or diamine 8 as key precursors, respectively. The two fragments were coupled using HOBt/DIC strategy to provide Cbz-protected dendrimers with valencies of 2, 4, 8, and 16 in the first, second, third, and fourth generations, respectively, in reasonable to good yields (42-82%). Cbz-protected precursors were efficiently transformed into N-chloroacetylated dendrimers by hydrogenolysis and treatment of the resulting amines with chloroacetic anhydride (82-91%). N-Chloroacetylated dendrimers were then treated with an excess of 2-thiosialic acid derivative 3 to give fully protected sialodendrimers in 76-96% yields. Deprotection of sialodendrimers under Zemplén conditions followed by methyl ester saponification and purification by gel permeation chromatography afforded symmetrical dendritic alpha-thiosialosides 21, 23, 25, and 27 in fair yields (47-58%). These novel sialodendrimers, in keeping with their design, are currently being evaluated as inhibitors of human erythrocyte hemagglutination by Influenza viruses.