Diversity-Oriented Synthesis of Glycosylphosphatidylinositol Probes Based on an Orthogonally Protected Pentasaccharide.

Two glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) derivatives having an alkynyl group at different positions were derived from the same orthogonally protected pentasaccharide that in turn was assembled by a convergent [3+2] glycosylation strategy. The resultant alkynylated GPIs are useful biological probes and are suitable for further modification by click reaction to obtain other GPI probes. The pentasaccharide is a versatile platform for the synthesis of various uniquely functionalized GPI probes.