Studies on the total synthesis of tenuifoliside B

An efficient synthesis of tenuifoliside B, which shows potential cognitive improvement and cerebral protective effects that may be further developed to become an anti-AD lead compound, has been developed starting from commercial available starting materials. Regioselective introductions of acyl groups to the OH-3′ and OH-6 of sucrose play the key steps by metal chelate-directed acylation and Mitsunobu esterification, respectively.