Alditols nitrates

Some of the ester derivatives of polysaccharides, such as cellulose acetates or nitrates, are of considerable industrial importance (Chapter XII). Those of the sugars have not been commercialized to any great extent, with the possible exception of sucrose octaacetate. An important series of surface-active materials are provided by alditols and their anhydro derivatives partially esterified with long-chain fatty acids (Chapter VII). For the latter derivatives, increased solubility in water is provided by reaction with ethylene oxide. 

Alditols, particularly glycerol (I), ethylene glycol, sorbitol, and D-manni-tol, have widespread commercial applications, frequently as a result of their hygroscopic properties. The organic monoesters, particularly of long-chain fatty acids, may have surface-active properties which make them of interest as emulsifiers, but the usual conditions of commercial esterification produce anhydro derivatives simultaneously (Chapter VII). Nitrate esters are important as explosives and as pharmaceuticals. The acetal derivatives (Chapter IV) have been extensively prepared and studied, but as yet have found no practical application. 

D-Glucitol is converted to a mixture of 1,4-anhydro-D-glucitol, 2,5-anhydro-L-iditol, 2,5-anhydro-D-mannitol and l,4 3,6-dianhydro-D-glucitol on treatment with hydrogen in the presence of a Cu-Ru catalyst. Reactions of other alditols with bimetallic catalysts are described. The preparations of three stereoisomers (exo, endo endo, exo endo, endo) of the known Chem. Abstr., 1991, 115, 136 644) dianhydro nitrate derivative 27 (exo, exo form) have been reported and the enzymatic preparations of l,4 3,6-dianhydro-D-glucitol mono acetates is mentioned in Chapter 7. 

Angyal et al. (1974) and Kieboom et al. (1975) have investigated the interaction of alditols with the nitrate salts of Eu and Pr, respectively. They have found that the extent of complex formation depends upon the arrangement and configuration of the hydroxyl groups. The threo-threo... 

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