Disaccarides for drug discovery

Methods are described for the preparation of combinatorial libraries of potentially biologically active disaccharide compounds. These compounds are variously functionalized, with a view to varying lipid solubility size, function and other properties, with the particular aim of discovering novel drug or drug-like compounds, or compounds with useful properties. The invention provides intermediates, processes and synthetic strategies for the solution or solid phase synthesis of disaccharides, variously functionalised about the sugar ring, including the addition of aromaticity and charge, and the placement of pharmaceutically useful groups and isosteres.