Muramic acid, formation

The transformation of azidoglucose derivatives into muramic arid precursors enabled the formation of trichloroacetimidates as muramic acid donors that could be very successfully employed in glycoside bond-forma-... 

The cell walls do not contain muramic acid. Ihe characteristic constituent of the pcplidnglycuns that form lxicten.il cell walls. (2l Their mciaholism differs markedly from bacteria. A number nf coenzymes apparently unique 10 methanogens have been identified. Some of these enzymes are involved in methyl transfer reactions, including the formation of methane. One of the coenzymes is possibly the smallesi coen/yme yet... 

This section deals with acids, that are formally modified aldonic acids, such as keto, deoxy, and branched-chain acids (including the so-called saccharinic acids). The aminoaldonic acids, which are oxidation products of amino sugars, and, in particular, the important nonulosaminic acids (neuraminic acids) and muramic acid, are not discussed here. The formation of saccharinic acids by the treatment of sugars with alkali, and the mechanisms involved, are likewise outside the scope of this chapter. 

Figure 6.40 Formation of UDP-muramic acid, (a) General reaction (b) stereochemical course and an indication of how a stereochemical marker and isotopic labelling can detremine the stereochemistry of reaction.

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