A short route to l-iduronic acid building blocks for the syntheses of heparin-like disaccharides

The effective preparation of differentially protected l-iduronic acid derivatives, as building blocks for the synthesis of heparin-like oligosaccharides, is described in less than nine steps starting from readily available 1,2-O-isopropylidene-6,3-d-glucuronolactone. The pivaloyl group was used as a permanent protecting group of hydroxyl groups. Two heparin-like disaccharides with different sulfation pattern have been prepared by using these l-iduronic acid building blocks.