Glycosylated tris-bipyridine ferrous complexes to provide dynamic combinatorial libraries for probing carbohydrate–carbohydrate interactions

2,2-Bipyridines having β-lactoside, β-d-glucoside, β-d-galactoside, and N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminide were prepared and then, complexed with ferrous ion to afford trivalent glycoclusters having tris-bipyridine ferrous complex cores. Each glycocluster provides a dynamic combinatorial library composed of four diastereomeric stereoisomers (Δmer, Δfac, Λmer, and Λfac) whose ratios depend on their relative stabilities. CD spectral analyses of these glycoclusters showed that various cations (Na+, Mg2+, K+ or Ca2+) enriched Δ-forms of the glycocluster having β-lactosides and N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminides possibly by cations-induced intramolecular carbohydrate–carbohydrate interactions.