SYNTHESIS OF THE GINSENG GLYCOSIDES AND THEIR ANALOGS

In an attempt toward the synthesis of the difficulty accessible ginseng saponins the four dammarane glycosides identical to the natural $ginsenosides-Rh_2,$ - F2, compound K and chikusetsusaponin - LT8 have been prepared from betulafolienetriol(=dammar-24-ene-$3{\alpha},12{\beta}\;20(S)-triol).\;3-O-{\beta}-D-Glucopyranoside$ of 20(S) - protopanaxadiol $(=ginsenoside-Rh_2)$ have been obtained by the regio - and stereoselective glycosylation of the $12-O-acetyldammar-24-ene-3{\beta},\;12{\beta},$ 20(S)-triol. The 12-ketoderivative of 20(S)-protopanaxadiol has been used as aglycon in synthesis of chikusetsusaponin - LT8. Attempted regio - and stereoselective glycosylation of the less reactive tertiary C - 20 - hydroxyl group in order to synthesize the $20-O-{\beta}-D-glucopyranoside$ of 20(S)-protopanaxadiol(=compound K) using 3, 12 - di - O - acetyldammar - 24 - ene - $3{\beta},12{\beta},20(S)$-trial as aglycon was unsuccessful. Glycosylation of 3, 12 - diketone of betulafolienetriol followed by $NaBH_4$ reduction yielded the $20-O-{\beta}-D-glucopyranoside\;of\;dammar-24-ene-3{\beta},12{\alpha},$ 20(S)-triol, the $12{\alpha}-epimer$ of 20(S) - protopanaxadiol. Moreover, a number of semisynthetic ocotillol - type glucosides, analogs of natural pseudoginsenosides, have been prepared.