Synthesis of selenium linked disaccharides using glycosyl selenocyanates as selenium precursors

A library of selenium linked pseudodisaccharide derivatives has been prepared in very good yield in one-pot by the hydrolysis of glycosyl selenocyanate derivatives using sodium borohydride followed by treatment of the in situ generated glycosyl selenols with anomeric glycosyl halides. Stable glycosyl selenocyanate derivative were used as selenium precursors. Exclusive formation of β-linked selenoglycoside derivatives was observed under the reaction conditions.