A series of 2-deoxy-glycopyranosyl cyanides with D-arabino, D-lyxo, D-erythro, and D-threo configurations was synthesized from the corresponding glycals via 2-deoxy-glycopyranosyl acetates. The cyanides were transformed to anhydro-aldose tosylhydrazones by reduction with NaH₂PO₂/Ra-Ni in the presence of tosylhydrazine. The tosylhydrazones furnished 2-deoxy-exo-glycals under modified Bamford–Stevens conditions. Photoinitiated thiol–ene additions of these exo-glycals resulted in the corresponding C-(2-deoxy-D-glycopyranosyl)methyl sulfides in medium to good yields with exclusive regio- and stereoselectivities in most cases. Several disaccharide mimics with a C–S moiety in place of the glycosidic oxygen were also obtained.

Following our recent study of N-(β-D-glucopyranosyl)oxadiazolecarboxamides (Polyák et al., Biorg. Med. Chem. 2013, 21, 5738) revealed as moderate inhibitors of glycogen phosphorylase (GP), in silico docking calculations using Glide have been performed on N-(β-D-glucopyranosyl)-1,2,4-triazolecarboxamides with different aryl substituents predicting more favorable binding at GP. The ligands were subsequently synthesized in moderate yields using N-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-β-D-glucopyranosyl)-tetrazole-5-carboxamide as starting material. Kinetics experiments against rabbit muscle glycogen phosphorylase b (RMGPb) revealed the ligands to be low μM GP inhibitors; the phenyl analogue (K_i = 1 μM) is one of the most potent N-(β-D-glucopyranosyl)-heteroaryl-carboxamide-type inhibitors of the GP catalytic site discovered to date. Based on QM and QM/MM calculations, the potency of the ligands is predicted to arise from favorable intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonds formed by the most stable solution phase tautomeric (t2) state of the 1,2,4-triazole in a conformationally dynamic system. ADMET property predictions revealed the compounds to have promising pharmacokinetic properties without any toxicity. This study highlights the benefits of a computationally led approach to GP inhibitor design.

[2+2] Cycloadditions of methylene exo‐glycal derivatives with chlorosulfonyl isocyanate and dichloroketene were studied in detail, investigating the effect of the carbohydrate moiety, protecting groups as well as reaction temperature on the yields of the transformations. These reactions gave new anomeric spiro‐β‐lactam and spiro‐cyclobutanone derivatives, whose structure was established by 1D and 2D NMR and MS experiments. The transformation of spiro‐cyclobutanone into spiro‐γ‐lactone was also demonstrated.

A series of 2-iodo-1-C-substituted glycals having EWG groups at the C-1 carbon were synthesized from 1-C-substituted glycals using NIS or NIPhth and Lewis acids. Their applicability in Suzuki–Miyaura reaction was studied in details.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), one of the most common metabolic diseases, is characterized by insulin resistance and inadequate insulin secretion of β cells. Glycogen phosphorylase (GP) is the key enzyme in glycogen breakdown, and contributes to hepatic glucose production during fasting or during insulin resistance. Pharmacological GP inhibitors are potential glucose lowering agents, which may be used in T2DM therapy. A natural product isolated from the cultured broth of the fungal strain No. 138354, called 2,3-bis(4-hydroxycinnamoyloxy)glutaric acid (FR258900), was discovered a decade ago. In vivo studies showed that FR258900 significantly reduced blood glucose levels in diabetic mice. We previously showed that GP inhibitors can potently enhance the function of β cells. The purpose of this study was to assess whether an analogue of FR258900 can influence β cell function. BF142 (Meso-Dimethyl 2,3‐bis[(E)‐3‐(4‐acetoxyphenyl)prop‐2‐enamido]butanedioate) treatment activated the glucose-stimulated insulin secretion pathway, as indicated by enhanced glycolysis, increased mitochondrial oxidation, significantly increased ATP production, and elevated calcium influx in MIN6 cells. Furthermore, BF142 induced mTORC1-specific phosphorylation of S6K, increased levels of PDX1 and insulin protein, and increased insulin secretion. Our data suggest that BF142 can influence β cell function and can support the insulin producing ability of β cells.

Syntheses of acyl protected exo-mannal derivatives were developed starting from O-peracylated mannopyranoses via the corresponding anhydro-aldose tosylhydrazones under modified Bamford–Stevens conditions. The synthesis of analogous O-peralkylated (benzylated and isopropylenated) derivatives was carried out from pyranoid and furanoid mannonolactones using methylene transfer reagents. Photoinitiated thiol–ene additions of these exo-mannals resulted in the corresponding C-(mannopyranosyl/mannofuranosyl)methyl sulfides in medium to good yields with exclusive regio- and β(D) stereoselectivities.