Carbohydrate-based macrolides prepared via a convergent ring closing metathesis approach: in search for novel antibiotics.

An efficient convergent approach has been developed for the construction of novel, nonnatural polysubstituted carbohydrate-based macrolides. A key step in the synthesis is the formation of the macrocyclic ring via a ring-closing metathesis reaction. The obtained macrolide analogues have been screened for biological activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, yeasts, and molds.