Synthesis of heparin fragments: A methyl α-pentaoside with high affinity for antithrombin III

The synthesis is described of the methyl α-glycoside of the pentasaccharide which represents the sequence in heparin responsible for binding and activation of the anticoagulant protein Antithrombin II. It was obtained in a yield much better than that of the previously synthesised pentasaccharide and exhibited the same biological properties.