Sucrochemistry

Preparation of α and β anomers of 1,2,3,6-tetra-O-acetyl-4-chloro-4-deoxy-d-galactopyranose based upon anomerization and kinetic acetylation

4-Chloro-4-deoxy-alpha-d-galactopyranose, 1,2,3,6-tetra-O-acetyl-4-chloro-4-deoxy-alpha-d-galactopyranose and 1,2,3,6-tetra-O-acetyl-4-chloro-4-deoxy-beta-d-galactopyranose were readily prepared from 1,4:3,6-dianhydro-beta-d-fructofuranosyl 4-chloro-4-deoxy-alpha-d-galactopyranoside. In the study, we found an interesting anomerization phenomenon of 4-chloro-4-deoxy-d-galactose. The molar ratio of alpha and beta anomers in solution is about 1:2 when the anomerization reaches a dynamic equilibrium, and the beta anomer could completely convert to the alpha anomer in the process of crystallization and precipitation. The acetylation of 4-chloro-4-deoxy-d-galactopyranose is kinetically controlled, and the configuration of the starting galactose determines the configuration of the resulting acetates. The influence of the chloro group at C-4 and the O-acetyl group at the anomeric carbon on the galactopyranose ring conformations is discussed, based upon the crystallographic data for the alpha and beta anomers of 1,2,3,6-tetra-O-acetyl-4-chloro-4-deoxy-d-galactopyranose.

A facile approach to anhydrogalactosucrose derivatives from chlorinated sucrose

Three new anhydrosucrose derivatives: 1,4:3,6-dianhydro-beta-D-fructofuranosyl 4-chloro-4-deoxy-alpha-D-galactopyranoside (4), 1,4:3,6-dianhydro-beta-D-fructofuranosyl 3,6-anhydro-4-chloro-4-deoxy-alpha-D-galactopyranoside (6) and 1,6-dichloro-1,6-dideoxy-beta-D-fructofuranosyl-3,6-anhydro-4-chloro-4-deoxy-alpha-D-galactopyranoside (8) were prepared from chlorinated sucrose. The structures of these anhydrides were confirmed by their (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra, ESIMS and elemental analysis. The crystal structures of 6 and the acetate of 4 (5) are presented. The relative reactivity of the chloromethyl groups towards S(N)2 reactions in 1,6-dichloro-1,6-dideoxy-beta-d-fructofuranosyl 4,6-dichloro-4,6-dideoxy-alpha-D-galactopyranoside was found to be in order 6>6'>1'.

Triethyl- (or trimethyl-)silyl triflate-catalyzed reductive cleavage of triphenylmethyl (trityl) ethers with triethylsilane

[reaction: see text] A triphenylmethyl (trityl) ether was reductively and instantaneously cleaved by triethylsilane in the presence of a catalytic amount of TES- (or TMS)-triflate. The reaction conditions are mild enough to achieve reduction in the presence of a variety of acid-sensitive functional groups. Upon a mild acidic treatment of the crude product, the corresponding alcohol is obtained in high yield.

Synthesis of 6,1',6'-tri-O-(mesitylenesulfonyl)sucrose, further examination of "tri-O-tosylsucrose", and the chemistry of 3,6:1',4':3',6'-trianhydrosucrose

Selective trimolar mesitylenesulfonylation of sucrose resulted in the formation of a highly crystalline trimesitylenesulfonate (1), which was isolated in greater than 50% yield without recourse to chromatography. As anticipated, the sulfonyl groups in 1 were located at the primary positions, as treatment with alkali afforded 3.6:1',4':3',6'-trianhydrosucrose (4) in high yield. Fractionation of "tri-O-tosyl-sucrose" by high-pressure liquid chromatography effected separation of the minor isomer from the known, preponderant 6,1',6'-isomer 3. 13C-N.m.r. spectroscopy indicated that the minor isomer was 2,6,6'-tri-O-p-tolylsulfonylsucrose (2). The trianhydride 4 was found to be dimorphous and was further characterized as the diacetate (5), the dibenzoate (6), the di-p-toluenesulfonate (7), and the dimethyl ether (8). Considerable differences in the reactivities toward acylation and etherification of the two axial hydroxyl groups in 4 permitted the preparation, in good yields, of the 4-acetate (9) and of the 4-methyl ether (12). Several derivatives of methyl 3,6-anhydro-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (13) were prepared for comparison with corresponding derivatives of 4, and the hydroxyl groups in 13 also showed differences in reactivities analogous with those of 4.

Structural relationships of sugars to taste

Chemical modification of sugars and their simple analogues indicates that these types of compound are almost always sweet, bitter, or bitter/sweet; hence, the two basic tastes may be intimately associated features of the same molecule. Stepwise modification at each chiral center around the sugar ring allows the sapid functions in these molecules to be mapped and leads to the inescapable conclusion that sugar molecules may be "polarized" on taste bud receptors, so that one end of the molecule elicits sweetness and the other bitterness. However, more extensive chemical modification evidently causes the molecule to realign itself in entirely different ways on the receptor. In most oligosaccharides only one sugar residue is likely to bind to the taste receptor, and this is probably a nonreducing end group, because the anomeric center of glucopyranose types of structure does not appear to affect sweetness. Sweetness depresses bitterness and bitterness depresses sweetness. Hence, it is not possible to make structural comparisons between analogues without correcting for these effects. However, some semiquantitative studies have established the value of current hydrogen bond theories of sweetness and the ideal oxygen-oxygen interorbital spacings for sweetness criteria in sugar molecules.