Streamlined Access to Peptidoglycan Biosynthesis Terminator GlcNAc-1,6-anhydro-MurNAc

Org Lett. 2025 Jan 6. doi: 10.1021/acs.orglett.4c04620. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

GlcNAc-1,6-anhydro-MurNAc is a key peptidoglycan elongation terminator of biological and medicinal importance. Herein, we present a concise approach to this molecule in 12 steps with an overall 25% yield using d-glucosamine as the sole starting material. Our synthesis features the formation of a 1,6-anhydro-MurNAc building block by an intramolecular glycosylation and the selective conversion of the phthalimido group of the MurNPhth moiety, paving the way for antibiotics with a new killing mechanism by targeting bacterial transglycosylase.