Stereoselective synthesis of UDP-2-(2-ketopropyl)galactose aided by di-tert-butylsilylene protecting group

UDP-2-(2-ketopropyl)galactose (1) has been utilized as a valuable probe for profiling proteins modified by O-GlcNAc. In this work, we developed a protocol for efficient synthesis of 1. Thus, 2-methallylgalactose derivative 11, a synthetic intermediate for the compound 1, was prepared by stereoselective iodination and methallylation at C-2 position, through exploitation of 4,6-O-di-tert-butylsilylene protecting group.