Synthesis of Carbohydrate Derivatives in multicomponent reactions: Approaches and applications

This review presents a comprehensive overview of the principal strategies in the synthesis of carbohydrate derivatives through multicomponent reactions (MCRs), highlighting the significant potential of these methodologies in medicinal chemistry and the development of biocompatible materials. The inherent efficiency, atom economy, and modularity of MCRs make them particularly well-suited for assembling the structurally complex architectures characteristic of carbohydrate. These reactions facilitate the rapid generation of molecular diversity, enabling the design and synthesis of bioactive compounds with promising pharmacological profiles. In particular, the combination of carbohydrate scaffolds with diverse functional motifs through MCRs has opened new avenues for the discovery of novel therapeutic agents, including enzyme inhibitors, antimicrobial agents, and vaccine adjuvants. The review also addresses key stereochemical challenges associated with glycosylation and the formation of anomerically pure products, which remain central concerns in carbohydrate chemistry. Several representative examples from recent literature are discussed, demonstrating how MCR-based strategies have been successfully applied to the synthesis pseudo-glycopeptides, pseudo-glycolipids, and other carbohydrate derivatives of particular structures. These studies underscore the relevance of MCRs not only as a synthetic tool but also as a platform for innovation in drug development. Overall, the integration of MCRs into carbohydrate synthesis represents a powerful and versatile approach that aligns with current demands for more sustainable, efficient, and high-throughput methodologies in modern organic synthesis.