Synthesis of sterically crowded derivatives of anomeric pairs of d-glucose disaccharides

Derivatization of carbohydrates is of considerable interest since the derivatives can be used for structural studies in the field of mass spectrometry. We report here the synthesis of a series of sterically crowded derivatives of various linkage and stereo-isomeric glucose–glucose disaccharides with the impetus being to understand the effect of these derivatized groups on fragmentation of the glycosidic bond and the development of methodology for discernment of the anomeric configuration. The synthesis of per-alkylated (methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, and pentyl), per-esterified (acetyl, pivaloyl, mesitoyl), and per-silylated (tert-butyl-dimethyl silyl) glucose–glucose disaccharide derivatives has been reported.