Summary: | Series of multivalent α-<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">l</span>-fucoside containing glycoclusters and variously decorated <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">l</span>-fucosides were synthesized to find potential inhibitors of fucose-specific lectins and study the structure-binding affinity relationships. Tri- and tetravalent fucoclusters were built using copper-mediated azide-alkyne click chemistry. Series of fucoside monomers and dimers were synthesized using various methods, namely glycosylation, an azide-alkyne click reaction, photoinduced thiol-en addition, and sulfation. The interactions between compounds with six fucolectins of bacterial or fungal origin were tested using a hemagglutination inhibition assay. As a result, a tetravalent, α-<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">l</span>-fucose presenting glycocluster showed to be a ligand that was orders of magnitude better than a simple monosaccharide for tested lectins in most cases, which can nominate it as a universal ligand for studied lectins. This compound was also able to inhibit the adhesion of <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i> cells to human epithelial bronchial cells. A trivalent fucocluster with a protected amine functional group also seems to be a promising candidate for designing glycoconjugates and chimeras.
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