Biological activities of 3,4,5‐trihydroxypiperidines and their N‐ and O‐derivatives

3,4,5‐Trihydroxypiperidines belong to the family of 1,5‐dideoxy‐1,5‐iminosugar natural products and are structural analogues of pentose monosaccharides in the pyranose form. The biological activities of these apparently structurally simple molecules and their N‐ and O‐alkylated and ‐arylated derivatives are no less remarkable than their C‐6 hydroxymethyl counterparts of the hexoses (such as 1‐deoxynojirimycin, DNJ). Their biological profiles indicate that the hydroxymethyl branch is crucial to neither potency nor selectivity, with O‐alkylation demonstrated to produce exquisite selectivity extending beyond glycosidase inhibition, to immunosuppressant and antibacterial activities.