Foreword

Carbohydrates are fascinating molecules that constitute an important class of naturally occurring compounds. They are most abundant in nature, biocompatible with minimal toxicity, and structurally diverse. Because of their key role in almost all biological processes, for example, cellular interaction, intercellular adhesion, signal transduction, inflammation, immune response, metastasis, fertilization, transport, modulation of protein function, cell surface recognition, and many more, there is an increased demand of carbohydrate-based molecules for their complete chemical, biochemical, and pharmacological investigations. For a long time, they have been explored as essential components in multiple vaccines and pharmaceuticals.

Among various carbohydrate entities, glycals (unsaturated sugars) and their derivatives particularly exhibit promising biological activities, ranging from antimicrobial to anticancer effects. The book “Glycals and their Derivatives” is timely, appropriate, and relies on carbohydrate-derived unsaturated sugars in drug discovery and development. The chapters in this book deliberate the practical utilities of a wide spectrum of diverse glycosides and 2-C-branched sugars by exploring their structural insights. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the different synthetic strategies for synthesizing crucial sugar analogs such as glycohybrids and glycoconjugates derived from glycals, offering a new avenue of understanding to the reader regarding glycoscience, glycobiology, and glycotechnology. The chemistry of glycals and their derivatives encompasses a vast array of reactions and transformations. Their reactivity is largely governed by the presence of the electron-rich double bond, which renders them susceptible to various electrophilic additions and cycloadditions. This reactivity is harnessed in the synthesis of diverse carbohydrate structures, including oligosaccharides and O-, N-, S-, and C-glycosides, which are pivotal in numerous biological functions and have profound implications for drug design and development.

This book, “Glycals and their Derivatives”, also delves into the pharmacological profiles, selectivity, and metabolic stability of the intended sugar derivatives by exploring their post-modifications. Overall, this book has made a fantastic effort to acquaint the reader with the scope and emerging applications of carbohydrate-derived unsaturated sugars. I heartily congratulate the editors, Dr. Nazar Hussain and Dr. Atul Kumar, on making an eccentric and fruitful effort with this forthcoming valuable book, which certainly is a promising tool for synthetic glycochemists and glycobiologists.