Reversing Reactivity: Stereoselective Desulfurative β-O-Glycosylation of Anomeric Thiosugars with Carboxylic Acids Under Copper or Cobalt Catalysis

We have discovered a new mode of reactivity of 1-thiosugars in the presence of Cu(II) or Co(II) for a stereoselective O-glycosylation reaction. The process involves the use of a catalytic amount of Cu(acac)2 or Co(acac)2 and Ag2CO3 as an oxidant in α,α,α-trifluorotoluene (TFT). Moreover, this protocol turned out to have a broad scope, allowing to prepare a wide range of com-plex substituted O-glycoside esters in good to excellent yields with an exclusive β-selectivity. The late-stage modification of phar-maceuticals by this method was also demonstrated.