A method for the synthesis of a compound of formula (1) or a salt thereof, wherein A is a
carbohydrate linker which is a lactosyl
moiety or which consists of a lactosyl
moiety and at least one
monosaccharide unit selected from the group consisting of: glucose,
galactose, N-
acetylglucosamine,
fucose and N-acetyl
neuraminic acid; and wherein R1 is one of the following anomeric protecting groups: a) -OR2, wherein R2 is a
protecting group removable by catalytic
hydrogenolysis; b) -SR3, wherein R3 is an optionally substituted
alkyl, an optionally substituted
aryl or an optionally substituted benzyl; c) -NH- C(R")=C(R')2, wherein each R' independently is one of the following
electron withdrawing groups: -CN, -COOH, -COO-
alkyl, -CO-
alkyl, -CONH2, -CONH- alkyl or -CON(alkyl)2, or wherein the two R'-groups are linked together and form -CO-(CH2)2-4-CO- and thus form, together with the
carbon atom to which they are attached, a 5-7 membered cycloalkan-1,3-dione, in which dione any of the
methylene groups is optionally substituted with 1 or 2 alkyl groups, and R" is H or alkyl, in which a fucosyl donor of formula (2) wherein X is selected from the group consisting of: a
guanosine diphosphatyl
moiety, a
lactose moiety,
azide,
fluoride, optionally substituted phenoxy-, optionally substituted pyridinyloxy-, optionally substituted 3-oxo-furanyloxy- of formula (A), optionally substituted 1,3,5-triazinyloxy- of formula (B), 4-methylumbelliferyloxy-group of formula (C), and a group of formula (D) wherein Ra is independently H or alkyl, or two
vicinal Ra groups represent a=C(Rb)2 group, wherein Rb is independently H or alkyl, Rc is independently selected from the group consisting of alkoxy, amino, alkylamino and dialkylamino, Rd is selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl and -C(=O)Re, wherein Re is OH, alkoxy, amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, hydrazino, alkylhydrazino, dialkylhydrazino or trialkylhydrazino, is reacted with an
acceptor of formula H-A-R1 or a salt thereof, wherein A and R1 are as defined above, under the
catalysis of an
enzyme capable of transferring
fucose. A compound of formula 1', its use in manufacture of human milk oligosaccharides, a method of manufacture of human milk oligosaccharides, and a fucosyl donor are also provided.