Domino and Intramolecular Rearrangement Reactions as Advanced Synthetic Methods in Glycoscience

Book excerpt: The book consists of a brief introduction, a foreward provided by professor Danishefsky of Columbia University, and about 14 - 16 chapters, each written by one or two eminent scholars/authors describing their recent research in the area of either domino reactions or intramolecular rearrangements in carbohydrate chemistry. Three or four chapters will be reviews. The domino (cascade, tandem) reactions are always intramolecular. They are usually very fast, clean and offer highly complex structures in a one pot process. Intramolecular rearrangements offer very similar advantages and often lead to highly complex products as well. Although many recently isolated carbohydrates fulfill various sophisticated functions, their structures are often very complex. The editors cover the broadest scope of novel methodologies possible. All the synthetic and application aspects of domino/cascade reactions are explored in this book. A second theme that will be covered is intramolecular rearrangement, which is also fast, stereoselective, and often constitutes one or more steps of domino / cascade process. Selected examples of intramolecular rearrangements are presented. Together, both processes offer an elegant and convenient approach to the synthesis of many complex molecules, which are normally difficult to synthesize via alternative routes. It appears that domino and intramolecular rearrangements are ideally suited to synthesize certain specific modified monosaccharides. What is particularly important is that both processes are intermolecular and almost always yield products with very well-defined stereochemistry. This high definition is absolutely crucial when synthesizing advanced, modified mono and oligosaccharides. The choice of contributors reflects an emphasis on both therapeutic and pharmacological aspects of carbohydrate chemistry.