1-Azido-1-deoxy-β-D-galactopyranoside tetraacetate (CAS 13992-26-2)

1-Azido-1-deoxy-β-D-galactopyranoside tetraacetate is a compound employed in carbohydrate chemistry and glycobiology research due to its azido functionality and protected sugar moiety. It serves as an important synthetic intermediate in the preparation of glycoconjugates and neoglycoproteins, which are studied for their role in biological recognition processes. The azide group in particular is a versatile chemical handle that can be used in click chemistry reactions, a widely used method for joining molecules together in a highly selective and efficient manner. This compound is also pivotal in the study of glycosylation patterns, as it can be modified to mimic the structures of naturally occurring sugars or to introduce probes for biochemical analysis. Researchers use 1-Azido-1-deoxy-β-D-galactopyranoside tetraacetate to investigate carbohydrate-protein interactions and to understand the molecular basis of cellular communication mediated by sugar molecules. The acetyl groups provide protection to the hydroxyl functions, allowing for selective deprotection and further chemical manipulation as required in complex synthetic pathways.