Synthesis of non-natural carbohydrates from glycerol and aldehydes in a one-pot four-enzyme cascade reaction

A simple procedure has been developed for the synthesis of enantio- and diastereomerically pure carbohydrate analogues from glycerol and a variety of aldehydes in one pot using a four-enzyme cascade reaction. As a proof of concept of the usefulness of this enzymatic catalytic cascade the naturally occurring azasugar D-fagomine was synthesized. This work highlights the potential value of using enzymes in cascade reactions to selectively form complex products that by previous traditional organic chemistry could only be obtained via repeated isolation and purification of intermediates.