Inventors:
Philip E. Pfeffer - Warrington PA
Gordon G. Moore - Willow Grove PA
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of
Agriculture - Washington DC
International Classification:
C07H 1302
Abstract:
Anomerically pure 1-. alpha. - and 1-. beta. -esters of 2,3,4,6-Tetra-O-benzyl-D-glucopyranose have been prepared in high yield by controlling the stereochemistry of 1-O-acylation of appropriately protected D-glucose. 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-D-glucopyranose is metalated with n-butyllithium in either tetrahydrofuran or anhydrous benzene and the metalated product acylated with an appropriate alkyl, alkenyl, or aryl acid chloride. Hydrogenation of the acyl glucopyranose, when derived from a saturated acid chloride, yields the appropriate 1-. alpha. - or 1-. beta. -D-glucose ester. Reaction in tetrahydrofuran produces the. alpha. -anomer while reaction in anhydrous benzene produces the. beta. -anomer.