Syntheses of 6-sulfo sialyl Lewis X glycans corresponding to the L-selectin ligand "sulfoadhesin".
[structure: see text] Divergent syntheses of sulfated sialyl Lewis X oligosaccharides corresponding to the core 1 and core 6 branches of the L-selectin ligand are reported. These synthetic targets incorporate a selectively protected serine residue at the reducing terminus, providing a functional handle for further conjugation.