Configurations, sugars tautomeric forms

NMR studies on purine nucleosides have been undertaken to assign the site of glycosylation, to determine the anomeric Configuration, to elucidate the sugar puckering and to determine the synjanti ratio of the location of the bases. Rare tautomeric forms and protonation sites were also studied. 

As shown in the biosynthesis of granaticin, a hydride shift occurs intramolecularly. This process is mediated by an enzyme-bond pyridine nucleotide. A concerted abstraction of H-4 as a hydride in la and a C-5 deprotonation in 2a leads to the 4,5-enol ether 3a. The reduced form of the pyridine nucleotide transfers the hydride to C-6, simultaneously releasing a hydroxide to give 4a. Final tautomerization yields the dTDP-4-keto-6-deoxy-sugar in v-xylo configuration 4a. In other enzymes of the oxidoreductase type, the active site may show a different configuration. Thus, the intermediate 3a can be protonated from above at C-5 to yield the l-arabino isomer of 4a [2]. The stereochemistry of this mechanism was demonstrated by double labelling (cf. l-4b series), and as a net result proved a suprafacial 4—>6 hydride shift. 

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