Probing replacement of pyrophosphate via click chemistry; synthesis of UDP-sugar analogues as potential glycosyl transferase inhibitors.

A series of potential UDP-sugar mimics were readily synthesised by copper(I) catalysed modified Huisgen cycloaddition of the corresponding alpha-propargyl glycosides with 5-azido uridine in aqueous solution. None of the compounds accessed displayed significant inhibitory activity at concentrations of up to 4.5mM in an assay against bovine milk beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase