Synthesis and Reactivity of Masked Organic Sulfates

Nature offers a variety of structurally unique, sulfated endobiotics including sulfated glycosaminoglycans, sulfated tyrosine peptides, sulfated steroids/bile acids/catecholamines. Sulfated molecules display a large number of biological activities including antithrombotic, antimicrobial, anticancer, anti‐inflammatory, and others, which arise from modulation of intracellular signaling and enhanced in vivo retention of certain hormones. These characteristics position sulfated molecules very favorably as drug‐like agents. However, few have reached the clinic. Major hurdles exist in realizing sulfated molecules as drugs. This state‐of‐the‐art has been transformed through recent works on the development of sulfate masking technologies for both alkyl (sulfated carbohydrates, sulfated steroids) and aryl (sTyr‐bearing peptides/proteins, sulfated flavonoids) sulfates. This review compiles the literature on different strategies implemented for different types of sulfate groups. Starting from early efforts in protection of sulfate groups to the design of newer SuFEx, trichloroethyl, and gem‐dimethyl‐based protection technologies, this review presents the evolution and application of concepts in realizing highly diverse, sulfated molecules as candidate drugs and/or prodrugs. Overall, the newer strategies for sulfate masking and demasking are likely to greatly enhance the design and development of sulfated molecules as non‐toxic drugs of the future. Although nature presents unique sulfated endobiotics (e. g., sulfated glycosaminoglycans, sulfated tyrosine peptides, sulfated steroids/bile acids/catecholamines, etc.) that are antithrombotic, antimicrobial, and/or anticancer in action, major hurdles exist in their synthesis. This review focuses on synthetic masking/unmasking strategies that can help realize highly sulfated molecules as drugs.