A Direct, Heavy Metal Free Synthesis of the ?-1,6-Linked GlcNAc Disaccharide

The major component of the matrix of many bacterial biofilms is a linear polymer of β-1,6-linked units of N-acetylglucosamine (polysaccharide intercellular adhesin or poly-N-acetyl-β-1,6-d-glucosamine). In order to facilitate synthetic vaccine construction we have developed a direct, inexpensive, and biologically compatible synthesis of the minimal building block of this polymer, a β-1,6-linked GlcNAc disaccharide, namely 6-O-[2-acetamido-2-deoxy-β-d-glucopyranosyl]-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-d-glucopyranose.