A concise synthesis of putative carrageenan precursor substrates to examine extracellular matrix biosynthesis in red algae

An expedient and mild synthetic route to provide a range of putative substrates for the examination of carrageenan biosynthesis has been devised. These putative substrates mimic the undecorated backbone of carrageenan and consist of d-galactose units connected by alternating α-1,3- and β-1,4-glycosidic linkages. The procedures utilised are modular and streamlined and may be amenable for preparing a wide range of substrates with varying saccharide lengths and aglycons.