In this paper we report the synthesis of twelve 3-O-acyl-1,2-O-isopropylidene-D-glucofuranose derivatives and the results obtained on their effects in inducing erythroid differentiation of human leukemic K562 cells. The data obtained demonstrate that two of the newly synthetized compounds are able to induce erythroid differentiation of K562 cells. In addition, these same compounds potentiate K562 erythroid differentiation induced by cytosine arabinoside, retinoic acid and mithramycin. Inducers of erythroid differentiation stimulating fetal gamma-globin synthesis could be considered for possible use in the experimental therapy of hematological diseases associated with a failure in the expression of adult beta-globin genes. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Asymmetric Synthesis of 2-chloro- and 2-bromo-alkanoic acids by halogenation of α-D-glucofuranose-derived silyl ketene acetals
2-chloro-alkanoic acids 6 and 7 have been obtained the diastereoselective halogenation of chiralsilylketeneacetals 3a-f, and subsequent saponification of the resulting crude esters. Examples characterized by e.e. values up to 95% are reported. The diastereoface selectivity is independent of the silylketeneacetal configuration.