Short synthesis of the common trisaccharide core of kankanose and kankanoside isolated from Cistanche tubulosa.

A short synthetic approach was developed for the synthesis of a common trisaccharide core found in kankanose, kankanoside F, H-1, H-2, and I isolated from the medicinally active plant Cistanche tubulosa. All glycosylations were carried out under nonmetallic reaction conditions. Yields were very good in all intermediate steps.