Essentials of Carbohydrate included. However, the absence of liter- tions are also discussed in short. The Chemistry and Biochemistry ature citations makes the book less chapter dealing with modifications and Thisbe K. Lindhorst. suitable to plan and execute synthetic functionalizations of the sugar ring covers routes. The book is valuable for those the introduction of functional groups, who have good knowledge of organic halogenation, deoxygenation, prepara- chemistry; the synthetic chapters are tion of and reactions with unsaturated WILEY-VCH, Weinheim, 2000. rather descriptive and in general no saccharides, epimerization, and a brief 217 pp., softcover, mechanistic explanations for chemical introduction to carbohydrates as chiral DM 98.00. transformations are provided. pool materials. ISBN 3-527-29543-7 After a short introductory chapter, The last two chapters are a real treat for structural properties of saccharides are those who have little or no background in discussed. This useful chapter provides an glycobiology, and here it becomes clear essential introduction to the properties of why these saccharides and glycoconju- The recent realization that carbohydrates mono- and oligosaccharides and covers a gates are such important targets for and glycoconjugates are involved in a general discussion of the structures of chemical synthesis. The structural diver- wide range of biological processes has mono- and oligosaccharides and polysac- sity of oligosaccharides and the structures resulted in the publication of several charides, important chemical properties of the most important glycoconjugates reference books dealing with particular such as mutarotation, conformational are discussed. In addition, an appropriate aspects of this exciting field of research. properties of mono- and oligosacchar- introduction to the biosynthesis of oligo- The book by Lindhorst is different with ides, and discusses the anomeric effect. saccharides and glycoproteins and glyco- respect to the intented audience and is The next three chapters focus on syn- lipids is provided. The glycobiology chap- mainly directed to non-carbohydrate or thetic carbohydrate chemistry and pro- ter deals with functions of sugars in aspiring carbohydrate chemists with a tecting group chemistry; O-glycoside syn- biological processes. This huge field of strong background in organic chemistry. thesis and modification and functionali- research is difficult to capture in a limited The book provides a fresh perspective on zation of the sugar ring are described. number of pages, and the author choose oligosaccharide and glycoconjugate Here, well-established procedures as well lectins and their interactions with carbo- chemistry and strikes a good balance as new chemical methods that show hydrates as the main focus. Biological between important basic aspects and promise are covered. The chapter dealing examples include leukocyte trafficking modern developments that show prom- with protecting groups is arranged in a and microbial adhesion. The design of ise. The main focus is on the synthetic traditional manner and describes protec- glycomimetics is also briefly covered. chemistry of oligosaccharides of biolog- tion of the anomeric center, ester and In conclusion, the book of Lindhorst ical importance. One of the attractions of ether protecting groups, acetals and provides an attractive introduction to the book is, however, a short introduction orthoesters, and amino protecting carbohydrate chemistry with an emphasis to glycobiology and a clear description of groups. The focus is mainly on introduc- on the synthesis of oligosaccharides of the structure and biosynthesis of the tion and cleavage, and relatively little biological importance. I am not sure most important glycoconjugates. The attention is given to chemical compati- whether the book covers all essentials of latter topics are written in a style that bility with other protecting groups and carbohydrate chemistry and biochemisty, does not require a strong background in multi-step procedures to obtain selective- but it contains an attractive selection of biochemistry. For aspiring practicing car- ly protected saccharide building blocks. topics that are appropriate for a reader- bohydrate chemists, a number of fre- The chapter dealing with glycoside syn- ship that has a strong background in quently used experimental procedures is thesis provides a good introduction to organic chemistry and is interested in complex oligosaccharide synthesis. It de- carbohydrate chemistry and biological scribes procedures for anomeric control functions of glycoconjugates. Experimen- in glycosylations and the most commonly tal procedures are included but the

This section contains book reviews written by invitation used glycosyl donors, and it gives brief absence of references makes the book from the editor. Suggestions for books to be reviewed descriptions of methods for the synthesis less useful for the practicing carbohydrate and for book reviewers are welcome. Publishers should of 2-deoxy-2-acetamidoglycopyranosi- chemist. send brochures or (better) books to the Editorial Office, ChemPhysChem, Postfach 101161, 69469 Weinheim, des, 2-deoxyglycosides and glycosylated Federal Republic of Germany. The editor reserves the amino acids. Strategies for complex oli- Geert-Jan Boons right of selecting which books will be reviewed. Univited gosaccharide synthesis are also covered, Complex Carbohydrate Research Center books not chosen for review will not be returned. and methods for enzymatic glycosyla- University of Georgia, Athens, GA (USA)

CHEMBIOCHEM 2000, 1, 133 ± 134 133 Essentials of Carbohydrate students who have some background in This chapter is informative and discusses Chemistry organic chemistry and are beginning to the sweet taste hypothesis as well as the John F. Robyt study carbohydrate chemistry. Apart from relative sweetness of many saccharides the introductory chapters that deal with and other compounds. The next two

Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg, 1998. the history and development of carbohy- chapters deal with polysaccharides and 399 pp., drate chemistry, topics range from chem- describe structures of the most common hardcover, ical transformations and modifications, plant and bacterial polysaccharides and DM 98.00. sweetness of saccharides, chemistry and methods for chemical modifications. The ISBN 0-387-794951-8 applications of polysaccharides to glyco- next four chapters are biological and The title of this book provokes the conjugates and biodegradation. The style biotechnological in nature. The proper- question: ªWhat are the essentials of of the discussion and the topics selected ties of cyclodextrins, which are non- carbohydrate chemistry?º. Carbohydrates are somewhat old-fashioned, which is reducing cyclic oligosaccharides that can are important renewable raw materials, also reflected in the references; most of form inclusion complexes with particular and chemical and enzymatic modifica- them predate 1990. For example, some lipophilic compounds, are covered. The tions of these compounds have provided very important topics such as the anome- discussion is mainly focused on biochem- materials that have found many applica- ric effect are discussed very briefly and do ical production of cyclodextrins and does tions ranging from absorbents and fibers not include revised new insights. The not include methods for chemical mod- for fabrics to advanced drug delivery presentation is also dated and often the ification of these important compounds. systems. They are also very important Fischer or Haworth projections are used Next, N- and O-linked glycoproteins, gly- for the food industry. During the past rather than the modern chair representa- colipids, and lipopolysaccharides are cov- twenty years, it has been established that tion. ered and the discussion is mainly focused saccharides and glycoconjugates are in- The first chapter deals mainly with the on structure and biosynthesis. These volved in a wide range of critical bio- structure of saccharides but the descrip- chapters contain interesting material but logical processes, and this has led to a tion is incomplete. The second chapter recent important developments are not new field of research named ªglycobiol- gives an attractive historical overview of included. The book concludes with struc- ogyº. Carbohydrates are also important in carbohydrate chemistry dating back to ture determination and again the focus is health sciences and are providing impor- prehistoric times. The next chapter de- on relatively old-fashioned procedures. tant lead compounds for drug discovery. scribes important chemical transforma- Twenty years ago, the title of this book The realization of the biological and tions including maturation and reactions would have given an appropriate descrip- medical importance of saccharides and in the presence of acids, bases, reducing tion but, unfortunately, it does not con- glycoconjugates has given a strong im- and oxidizing reagents. This chapter also tain important recent developments. In petus to the development of methods for briefly describes glycosidic bond synthe- some places the coverage is superficial or complex oligosaccharide, glycopeptide, sis, but many critical aspects such as outdated. The book contains, however, and glycolipid synthesis. Also, the rich anomeric control and enzymatic proce- transformations that are not covered by stereochemistry of saccharides makes dures are not appropriately covered. other books that deal with more bio- them attractive starting materials for the Chapter 4 deals with chemical modifica- logical aspects of carbohydrate chemistry. chiral synthesis of complex molecules. It tions and includes protecting group Furthermore, it contains a reasonable may be clear from the above discussion chemistry as well as the introduction of coverage of the structures of mono-, that it will be difficult to cover all functional groups, chain elongation, and oligo-, and polysaccharides as well as important aspects of carbohydrate chem- reduction reactions. The topics are treat- glycoconjugates. istry in one book, and the author must ed in a rather unsystematic manner with have been faced with the difficult task of an emphasis on the particular carbon Geert-Jan Boons selecting the most appropriate topics. atom that is modified. Chapter 5 deals Complex Carbohydrate Research Center The book provides a broad treatment with what is perhaps the earliest known University of Georgia, Athens, GA (USA) of carbohydrate chemistry and is aimed at property of saccharides, ªsweet tasteº.

134 CHEMBIOCHEM 2000, 1, 133 ± 134