Combinatorial Chemistry for the Synthesis of Carbohydrate Libraries

摘要

The use of combinatorial libraries in the identification and elucidation of structure-activity-relationships has become a powerful tool in the pharmaceutical sector. Traditionally, novel lead compounds were obtained as natural products from a number of sources including extracts from plants, animals, insects, or microorganisms. When an extract shows a desired biological activity, the active compound is identified, isolated, and then subjected to further biological testing. Optimization of the chemical structure to enhance biological activity is a labor-intensive, time-consuming process, which dictates that each new structure be independently synthesized. This overall approach has made the development of new therapeutics a very lengthy and expensiveprocess.