Recent Developments in the Synthesis of Pyrrolidine-Containing Iminosugars

As noted inhibitors of glycosidases, iminosugars have enormous therapeutic potential in the treatment of a number of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and lysosomal storage disorders. Accordingly, much effort has been expended over the past decades in developing novel and efficient methodologies for the synthesis of iminosugars. This microreview highlights recent (post 2005) developments in the synthesis of pyrrolidine‐containing iminosugars and includes discussions of methodologies such as ring‐closing metathesis, aldol and pericyclic reactions, and protecting‐group free strategies. Given the enormous potential of iminosugars as inhibitors of glycosidases, and their therapeutic significance, the development of improved synthetic methodologies for their efficient production has become the objective of many synthetic chemists. This review highlights recent developments (post 2005) in the synthesis of pyrrolidine‐containing iminosugars.