We present here a convenient synthesis of the truncated sphingoid iodide 15 from d-galactose, in which Mitsunobu reaction was utilized to retrieve successfully an unwanted intermediate, thereby increasing greatly the synthetic efficiency. Subsequent reaction of 15 with the pre-prepared α-galactosyl thiol 16 led smoothly to the desired thioglycoside 17 in good yield, from which the catabolically stable thioglycoside analogs of OCH 4 and 22 were synthesized.Two thioglycoside analogs of α-galactosylceramide with a truncated sphingoid chain were synthesized as potential immunomodulating agents.

A wide range of symmetrical and unsymmetrical glycosyl disulfides is synthesized with focus on the use of α-glycosyl thiols. Oxidation of α-glycosyl thiols with iodine leads to symmetrical α,α-glycosyl disulfides, while unsymmetrical disulfides are readily synthesized from α- and β-glycosyl thiols under the action of DDQ. Thus, glycosyl disulfides containing at least one α-glycosidic linkage are made available.Both symmetrical and unsymmetrical glycosyl disulfides containing α-glycosidic linkages were synthesized readily from the corresponding glycosyl thiols by oxidation with I2 or DDQ.