Aldose esters from

As previously indicated (see pp. 88-91), formation of heterocyclic compounds, mainly pyrazines, was found only in the ammonolysis of some aldose nicotinates33 35 and acetates and benzoates of ketoses.39 37 For ketose esters, whose behavior differed from that of the aldose esters, the formation of imidazole derivatives was also observed these heterocyclic compounds also result from the direct action of ammonia upon the corresponding free sugars, but the presence of the esterifying acyl groups evidently increases their ease of formation and raises their yields. 

The anomeric forms derived from equilibration of aldoses give rise to multiple peaks when trimethylsilylated and gas chromatographed [311]. A method of overcoming this problem, assuming that mutarotation itself is not under study, is to modify the aldose. It can be oxidised and lactonised to the aldonolactone, for example, and characterised as its TMS derivative [322]. Alternatively for the identification of aldoses and alditols, more use may be made in the future of the separations achievable on open tubular columns of the poly-0-acetylaldonic nitriles (18) produced from aldoses and the poly-acetyl esters from alditols [323]. Figure 1.18 shows the separation of 32 assorted polyols and aldoses. 

Esters of fatty acids are only to some extent reduced to the alcohols by sodium amalgam. Aldonolactones and their esters, however, are reduced to aldoses by Na(Hg) [99]. Optimal conditions are found at pH 3-3.5 and temperatures below 15°C 2.5-3 atoms of Na [as 2.5% Na(Hg)] are used per mole of lactone. Yields of different aldoses range from 50 to 84% [100,101]. 

Fischer s original method for conversion of the nitrile into an aldehyde involved hydrolysis to a carboxylic acid, ring closure to a cyclic ester (lactone), and subsequent reduction. A modern improvement is to reduce the nitrile over a palladium catalyst, yielding an imine intermediate that is hydrolyzed to an aldehyde. Note that the cyanohydrin is formed as a mixture of stereoisomers at the new chirality center, so two new aldoses, differing only in their stereochemistry at C2, Tesult from Kiliani-Fischer synthesis. Chain extension of D-arabinose, for example, yields a mixture of D-glucose and o-mannose. 

Three types of synthases catalyze the addition of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) to aldoses or the corresponding terminal phosphate esters. By concurrent release of inorganic phosphate from the preformed enolate nucleophile, the additions are essentially irreversible. None of the enzymes are yet commercially available and little data are available oil the individual specificities for the aldehydic substrates. A bacterial NeuAc synthase (EC 4.1.3.19) has been used for the microscale synthesis of A -acetylncuraminic acid from Af-acetyl-D-mannosamine31 and its 9-azido analog from 2-acetamido-6-azido-2,6-dideoxy-D-mannose32. 

Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) chemists " prepared a novel series of spirocyclic 2,4-oxazolidinediones 243 derived from 7-substituted isatins (Scheme 6.54). The key intermediate a-acyloxy amides 242 were readily prepared from 241 in three steps. Base-catalyzed cyclization of 242 then afforded the target compounds that were reported to be potent inhibitors of aldose reductase. Pfizer chemists approached 5-substituted isatin spirocyclic analogues 243 via a-hydroxy esters 244 that were converted to the corresponding a-carbamyloxy esters 245 in good yield using chlorosulfonyl isocyanate. Cyclization of 245 with potassium ferf-butoxide then produced 243 in acceptable yield (Scheme 6.54 Table 6.10, Fig. 6.20). 

A quinazolodione provides the nucleus for yet another eompound that inhibits aldose reductase. The sequence for the preparation of this agent starts with the isatoate acid (90-1) from 4-chloroantharanilic acid. Heating the compound with the substituted benzylamine (90-2) results in the formation of the ring-opened amide (90-3) with a loss of carbon dioxide. The ring is then reclosed, this time by reaction with carbonyl diimidazole, to afford the quinolodione (90-4). The anion from the reaction of this last intermediate with sodium hydride is then alkylated with ethyl bromoacetate. Saponification of the ester completes the preparation of zenarestat (90-5) [100]. 

Attempts to use a Lewis acid to anomerize the ester linkage at C-l from /3 to a have thus far been mostly unsuccessful however, application of Bonner s249 procedure, involving anomerization of acetylated aldoses in an acid anhydride containing an acid catalyst, was found246 to be applicable to the acetylated D-glucopyranuronate series also. Thus, /3 —> a anomerization of methyl tri-0-acetyl-l-0-propanoyl-/3-D-glucopyranuronate (prepared by the silver salt method) was achieved... 

Although the orthocarboxylic acids, R—C(OH)3, are unstable, many of their derivatives are known, stable compounds. The known carbohydrate orthoesters are all derived from the structure that results when two of the three hydroxyl groups of an orthoacid are involved in ester formation with two hydroxyl groups of the sugar molecule. General formula A represents those types which are of particular interest in the field of carbohydrates. The two adjacent carbon atoms of the five-membered ring constitute carbon atoms number 1 and 2 of an aldose and either 1 and 2, or 2 and 3 of a ketose. In certain instances it has been... 

In order to limit a set of Tables which, otherwise, would be extremely lengthy, only the commoner esters and ethers of the cyclic acetals of the aldoses and aldosides have been included. Esters of inorganic acids are omitted. Except for the tetroses, cyclic acetals of the aldehydo-aldos s are not included. The omission of cyclic acetals formed from trichloroace-taldehyde is made on the grounds that, of the large number of products, many are still but poorly defined. 

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