Arabinofuranose 1,2,5-orthobenzoate as a single precursor of linear α(1 → 5)-linked oligoarabinofuranosides.

Selectively protected mono-, di- and trisaccharide thioglycoside building blocks with unprotected primary hydroxy group at the non-reducing end, available in only one step from 3-O-benzoyl β-d-arabinofuranose 1,2,5-orthobenzoate, were used in the synthesis of linear α(1 → 5)-linked oligoarabinofuranosides up to octasaccharide. The obtained oligosaccharides contain 4-(2-chloroethoxy)phenyl (CEP) or 4-(2-azidoethoxy)phenyl (AEP) pre-spacer aglycons that allow preparation of neoglycoconjugates.