Synthesis of p-nitrophenyl 2-O-α- and -β-l-fucopyranosyl-β-d-fucopyranoside

Reaction of 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-α-l-fucopyranosyl bromide with p-nitrophenyl 3,4-O-isopropylidene-β-d-fucopyranoside in the presence of mercuric cyanide in acetonitrile, followed by removal of the isopropylidene group under mild conditions, gave a mixture of p-nitrophenyl 2-O-(2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-α- and -β-l-fucopyranosyl)-β-d-fucopyranoside. These compounds were conveniently separated by preparative, thin-layer chromatography, and, on deacetylation, gave the title disaccharides, whose structures were established by ¹H- and ¹³C-n.m.r. spectroscopy.