# Methods and Mechanisms in Carbohydrate Chemistry

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA · 2023 · $311,064

## Abstract

Although glycochemistry has developed in leaps and bounds in the last two decades,
the synthesis of a complex oligosaccharide or of a glycoconjugate remains a very
challenging albeit critically important task. The difficulties inherent in such syntheses
arise because of numerous reasons that center on the complexity of the chemistry when
compared to that of oligonucleotide and peptide synthesis. The most important
reactions in any oligosaccharide synthesis are the formation of the glycosidic bonds and
there exists many empirical methods toward this end.
 The longstanding theme of this grant has been that the rationalization of complex
oligosaccharide synthesis is best achieved by an improved understanding of the
mechanisms of glycosidic bond formation, coupled with the development of more
efficient, straightforward and general mechanism-based methods. Progress along these
lines has transformed by the way we think about glycosidic bond formation to the extent
that predictions can now be made. One aspect of this proposal addresses remaining
issues in glycosidation mechanisms through the development of cation clock methods
for the determination of reaction kinetics in sialic acid glycosidic bond formation. A
further aspect of this proposal is the mechanism-based prediction of reactivity leading to
the development of a novel method for the control of anomeric stereoselectivity through
the control of side chain conformation. Finally, the knowledge of how side chain
conformation affects reactivity is related to transition state stabilization by glycoside
hydrolases and glycosyltransferases, resulting in the design of improved inhibitors for
such critical carbohydrate processing enzymes.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10626791
- **Project number:** 5R01GM062160-23
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
- **Principal Investigator:** David Crich
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $311,064
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2001-09-30 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10626791

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10626791, Methods and Mechanisms in Carbohydrate Chemistry (5R01GM062160-23). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-11 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10626791. Licensed CC0.

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