Novel regio- and stereoselective O-6-desulfation of the glucosamine moiety of heparin with N-methylpyrrolidinone–water or N,N-dimethylformamide–water mixtures

The degree of completeness and selectivity of the solvolytic O-6-desulfation reactions of the glucosamine moiety adjacent to the 2-O-sulfoiduronic acid group of heparin was systematically studied. Using solutions of various ammonium salts of heparin (salts of tributylamine, quinoline and pyridine) in mixtures of 9:1 aprotic solvents and water (solvents of medium polarity, in order of decreasing polarity: Me2SO>Me2NCHO>Me2NAc>N-methylpyrrolidinone), the influence of different reaction conditions were studied. The ammonium salt of heparin with a strong base (e.g., tributylamine) in Me2SO showed almost no desulfation, while in Me2NCHO a relatively low degree of completeness of O-6-desulfation (30%) with moderate selectivity (15% [I-2(OS)]-desulfation) was observed. Weak bases like quinoline or pyridine in Me2SO–water resulted in nearly complete [A-6(OS)]-desulfation (95 and 94%, respectively) with low selectivity [I-2(OS)]-desulfation (49 and 35%, respectively). The heparin pyridinium salt in Me2NCHO–water showed both a relatively high degree of completeness and high selectivity (72% [A-6(OS)]- and 8% [I-2(OS)]-desulfation). The highest regioselectivity (i.e., a high degree of completeness accompanied by high selectivity) was achieved using an N-methylpyrrolidinone–water mixture (88% [A-6(OS)]-desulfation and 10% [I-2(OS)]-desulfation). A nearly complete O-6-desulfation (95%), accompanied by a lower selectivity (18% [I-2(OS)]-desulfation), was achieved when the reaction was carried out twice. Lower temperature improved selectivity (5% [I-2(OS)]-desulfation) but reduced the completeness of [A-6(OS)]-desulfation (72%). In comparison with the variety of O-6-desulfations reported to date, the novel reactions presented in this article led to remarkable increase in completeness and regioselectivity of the reactions that were investigated.