600764 Disclosed are compounds of formula (I) wherein: a first group selected from R1, R2 and R3 is an amino- or N-acylamino hexose moiety, the amino or N-acylamino group being present in place of the hydroxyl group at the 2-position of the hexose moiety, the acyl moiety of the N- group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or an oligosaccharide chain comprising 2 to 4 monosaccharide moieties, at least one of which is an amino- or N-acylamino hexose moiety as defined above； a second group selected from R1, R2 and R3 is an alkanoyl group having 3 to 40 carbon atoms or an alkenoyl group having 3 to 40 carbon atoms and 1 to 5 double bonds； and a third group selected from R1, R2 and R3 is hydrogen. Representative compounds include 1-O-(2-amino-2-deoxy-?-D-glucopyranosyl)-3-n-decanoylglycerol, 1-O-(2-(acetylamino)-2-deoxy-?-D-glucopyranosyl)-3-n-decanoylglycerol and 1-O-(2-amino-2-deoxy-?-D-glucopyranosyl)-3-n-octadecanoylglycerol. Also disclosed is a method of preparing a compound of formula (I), wherein: a first group selected from R1, R2 and R3 is an amino- or N-acylamino monosaccharide moiety, the acyl moiety of the N-acylamino group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or an oligosaccharide chain comprising 2 to 4 monosaccharide moieties, at least one of which is an amino- or N-acylamino hexose moiety as defined above； a second group selected from R1, R2 and R3 is a saturated or unsaturated acyl group having 3 to 40 carbon atoms； and a third group selected from R1, R2 and R3 is hydrogen； the method comprising contacting a monoacylglycerol, the acyl moiety thereof being a saturated or unsaturated acyl group having 3 to 40 carbon atoms, or an activated derivative thereof, with a source of amino- or N-acylamino monosaccharide moiety, or an activated derivative thereof, and, if required, a source of unsubstituted monosaccharide moiety, or an activated derivative thereof, optionally in the presence of a suitable catalyst or activating agent.
