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The glycosidase inhibitory properties of synthetic C-alkyl and N-alkyl six-membered iminosugars have been extensively studied leading to therapeutic candidates. The related seven-membered iminocyclitols have been less examined despite the report of promising structures. Using an in house ring enlargement/C-alkylation as well as cross-metathesis methodologies as the key steps, we have undertaken the synthesis and biological evaluation of a library of fourteen 2C- and eight N-alkyl tetrahydroxylated azepanes starting from an easily available glucopyranose-derived azidolactol. Four, six, nine and twelve carbon atom alkyl chains have been introduced. The study of two distinct D-gluco and L-ido stereochemistries for the tetrol pattern as well as R and S configurations for the C-2 carbon bearing the C-alkyl chain is reported. We observed that C-alkylation of the L-ido tetrahydroxylated azepane converts it from an α-L-fucosidase to a β-glucosidase and β-galactosidase inhibitor while N-alkylation of the D-gluco iminosugar significantly improves its inhibition profile leading to potent β-glucosidase, β-galactosidase, α-L-rhamnosidase and β-glucuronidase inhibitors whatever the stereochemistry of the alkyl chain. Interestingly, the N-alkyl chain length usually parallels the azepane inhibitor potency as exemplified by the identification of a potent glucocerebrosidase inhibitor (Ki 1 μM) bearing a twelve carbon atom chain. Additionally, several C-alkyl azepanes demonstrated promising F508del-CFTR correction unlike the parent tetrahydroxyazepanes. None of the C-alkyl and N-alkyl azepanes did inhibit ER α-glucosidases I or II.

A series of neoglycoconjugates derived from deoxynojirimycin has been prepared by click connection with functionalised adamantanes. They have been assayed as glycosidase inhibitors, as inhibitors of the glycoenzymes relevant to the treatment of Gaucher disease, as well as correctors of the defective ion-transport protein involved in cystic fibrosis. We have demonstrated that it is possible to selectively either strongly inhibit ER-α-glucosidases and ceramide glucosyltransferase or restore the activity of CFTR in CF-KM4 cells by varying the length of the alkyl chain linking DNJ and adamantane.