The synthesis of oligomers of a C-arabinofuranosyl carbohydrate amino acid on a polystyrene support functionalised with a Pink linker is reported. Cleavage from the solid support gives ready access to dimeric and trimeric carbopeptoids bearing a C-terminal carboxamide. Investigations into the solution structure of these novel carbopeptoids utilising H-1 NMR indicate that they adopt well defined conformations based around a repeating beta-turn like structure stabilised by (i, i-2) inter-residue hydrogen bonds. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.