Fluorous thiols in oligosaccharide synthesis

A new, almost odorless fluorous thiol is synthesized, which is utilized to prepare highly fluorinated thioglycosyl donors. These thioglycosides showed excellent reactivities in glycosylation reactions. The fluorous chain, stable under esterification, etherification, deacetylation, and glycosylation conditions, allowed facile purification of the thioglycosides by solid-phase extraction through fluorous silica gel. The fluorous thiol was readily recycled.