Development of chemical and chemo-enzymatic glycosylations

Glycosidic compounds are indispensable molecules in living systems. Biological phenomena such as cell wall formation, energy storage, and cell recognition strongly depend on the multi-functional characters of these substances. Development of highly regio- and stereoselective glycosylation reactions is necessary to provide sufficient amounts of specific compounds in basic research as well as for applications in industry. This review presents an overview of chemical and chemo-enzymatic glycosylations that have been developed during my forty-year academic career in the field of glyco-science. In the course of these studies, several new concepts such as “Direct Anomeric Activation”, “Glyco-Process Chemistry” and “Glyco-Chemistry Cycles” have been established.