Overview
The field of glycomaterials has been slowed by the inability to automate the synthesis of oligosaccharides. These molecules are a challenge to produce due to the inherent structural similarities of carbohydrates and the need for stereospecific bond formation. As oligosaccharide synthesis is inherently repetitive with multiple sequential steps, automated oligosaccharide synthesis is necessary. Initially pioneered by Peter Seeberger, the Glyconeer® is the first commercial, fully automated oligosaccharide synthesizer. This instrument, in combination with commercially available building blocks, enables users to quickly and reproducibly synthesize an array of higher order oligosaccharides.
Originally pioneered by Peter Seeberger, the Glyconeer® is the first commercial, fully automated oligosaccharide synthesizer. When combined with commercially available monosaccharide building blocks, the Glyconeer® enables rapid and reproducible synthesis of complex, higher‑order oligosaccharides.
Description
Key features of the Glyconeer® include:
- Delivery of solvents and reagents via argon pressure
- Compatibility with a wide range of chemistries and solvent systems
- Software designed to maximize simplicity while maintaining functionality
- Temperature‑controlled reaction vessels (−40 °C to +80 °C)
- On‑line UV detection to monitor coupling efficiency
- Synthesis scales ranging from 10 to 100 micromoles
- 64‑position carousel for automated delivery of monosaccharide building blocks
- Triple‑jacketed glass reaction vessel
- Separate fraction and waste collection systems
Applications
The Glyconeer® supports synthesis of:
- Glycan arrays
- Oligosaccharide standards
- Labeled glycans
- Glycoconjugates and glycomaterials
- Carbohydrate‑based biomimetics
The placement of two Glyconeer® systems at the GlycoMIP facility at Virginia Tech enables researchers from across the country to access key glycomaterials at a cost determined solely by reagents and consumable supplies.
Associated Equipment:
Two Shimadzu semi‑preparative HPLC systems equipped with evaporative light scattering detectors and fraction collectors for product purification, a Biotage Selekt system for building‑block preparation, and additional synthesis‑related resources. A suite of mass spectrometers (MALDI and LC‑MS) and NMR instruments is also available for full compound characterization.
Instrument Status:
Available
User Access:
The Glyconeers® are GlycoMIP‑supported resources and are available to approved users of the GlycoMIP user facility at a cost limited to required reagents and supplies.
For access to this equipment and other GlycoMIP services, please visit the User Portal.