Radicals and Carbohydrates: A Grand Alliance

This review describes applications of radical reactions developed in the authors’ laboratory for the modification of carbohydrates. It focuses on tin-free variation on the Barton-McCombie deoxygenation; on reductive de-iodination; on intermolecular radical additions of xanthates; on allylations and vinylations of xanthates and iodides, with emphasis on allylations using allylic alcohols activated as fluoropyridyl ethers; and, finally, on the synthesis of mercaptosugars.