Chemo‐Enzymatic Synthesis of a Lipid‐Linked Core Trisaccharide of N‐ Linked Glycoproteins.

Two novel analogues of the mannosyl transferase acceptor substrate (GlcNAc)2-Pi-Pi-dolichyl 2 have been prepared in which dolichyl is replaced by phytanyl, 4, and lauryl, 5; both compounds 4 and 5 were synthesized using readily available chitin as the disaccharide precursor. Compound 4 acts as an efficient acceptor substrate for mannosyl transferases from porcine liver and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.