Acid-catalysed rearrangement of glycosyl trichloroacetimidates: a novel route to glycosylamines

A novel route to glycosylamines has been developed. Treatment of glycosyl trichloroacetimidates with TMSOTf under glycosylation conditions, but in the absence of an acceptor, resulted in complete rearrangement of the trichloroacetimidates into the corresponding N-protected-glycosylamines. Reductive cleavage of the trichloroacetyl groups using sodium borohydride provided the desired glycosylamine products.