Chemical synthesis of GDP-l-galactose and analogues

Succinct syntheses for l-galactose, 3-deoxy-l-xylo-hexose (3-deoxy-l-galactose), 6-deoxy-l-galactopyranose (l-fucose) and 3,6-dideoxy-l-xylo-hexose (3,6-dideoxy-l-galactose) have been developed starting from commercially available l-galactono-1,4-lactone. l-Galactose and variants were then converted to the guanosine diphosphate derivatives, via the formation of the anomeric phosphates and coupling to guanosine monophosphate morpholidate.