V. S. Rao, A. Perlin
Jan 15, 1981
Citations
0
Influential Citations
4
Citations
Journal
Canadian Journal of Chemistry
Abstract
The reaction between 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-1,5-di-O-mesyl-D-glucitol (2) and potassium superoxide resulted in the loss of H-4 and the 5-mesyloxy (as well as 1-mesyloxy) substituent, and an almost quantitative conversion into enol ether 4, i.e., 1,3,4,5-tetra-O-benzyl-3-dehydro-2-deoxy-L-threo-hex-2-enitol. When the reaction was performed with 8, in which the 1-O-mesyl group (of 2) is replaced by O-(methoxy)trityl, the outcome was wholly different: an olefin was formed through the removal of a primary (H-6) rather than a secondary (H-4) proton, and nucleophilic displacement also took place. Results similar to those for 8 were obtained with the 2-epimer of 2, i.e., 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-1,5-di-O-mesyl-D-mannitol (12). It is suggested that selective displacement of the 1-O-mesyl group of 2 by superoxide generates a 1-peroxy anion (6) that abstracts H-4 intramolecularly, promoting concomitant loss of the 5-mesyloxy group. The transition state for proton abstraction within anion 6 appears to be more stable t...