Gold(III)-catalyzed glycosidations for 1,2-trans and 1,2-cis furanosides

Stereoselective synthesis of furanosides is still a daunting task, unlike the pyranosides, for which several methods exist. Herein, a unified stereoselective strategy for the synthesis of 1,2-trans and 1,2-cis furanosides is revealed for seven out of eight possible isomers of pentoses. The identified protocol gives access to diastereoselective synthesis of α- and β-araf, ribf, lyxf, and α-xylf furanosides. 1,2-trans glycosides were synthesized by the use of propargyl 1,2-orthoesters under gold-catalyzed glycosidation conditions, and subsequently, they are converted into 1,2-cis glycosides through oxidation-reduction as the key functional group transformation. All the reactions are found to be fully diastereoselective, mild, and high yielding.