SYNTHESIS OF NON-GLUCOSAMINO GLUCAN OLIGOSACCHARIDES RELATED TO HEPARIN AND HEPARAN-SULFATE

A series of three oligosaccharides, alpha-D-Glc-(1 --> 4)-beta-D-GlcA-1 --> OMe, beta-D-GlcA-(1 --> 4)-alpha-D-Glc-(1 --> 4)-beta-D-GlcA-1 --> OMe and alpha-D-Glc-(1 --> 4)-beta-D-GlcA-(1 --> 4)-alpha-D-Glc-(1 --> 4)-beta-D-GlcA-1 --> OMe was prepared by a short synthetic route, using maltose and glucuronic acid derivatives as starting materials. The oligosaccharides contain glucose residues instead of glucosamines, and have a less complicated structure than the corresponding unsulphated structures found in native heparin and heparan sulphate. This simplification in structure has diminished the number of synthetic steps and raised the total yield compared to the preparation of the corresponding heparin/heparan sulphate structures which have been found to bind acidic and basic FGF.