Tri hydroxy alcohols

As more than one hydroxyl group linked to a single carbon atom results in an unstable compound, the simplest di-hydroxy alcohol is the one derived from the two carbon hydrocarbon ethane (i.e.) dihydroxy ethane, or glycol, CH2—(OH) — CH2(OH). Similarly the simplest tri-hydroxy alcohol is derived from the three carbon hydrocarbon propane. It is known commonly as glycerin, but is better termed glycerol, as the termination, ol, signifies an alcohol. 

S mthesis.—The carbohydrates have been prepared synthetically by oxidizing the poly-hydroxy alcohols. We have recently spoken of the mixed alcohol and aldehyde or mixed alcohol and ketone compounds which are formed by the oxidation of the tri-hydroxy alcohol glycerol. We have, also, just stated that the carbohydrates have been proven to be mixed poly-hydroxy alcohols and aldehydes or ketones. The compound just referred to, as produced by the oxidation of glycerol, is the simplest compound which has the character of a true sugar. Its composition is in accordance with the first of the general formulas, viz., CsHeOs or C H2nOn, and from the number of carbon atoms present it would be termed a triose. The oxidation of glycerol results in a mixture of two compounds, viz., an aldehyde alcohol and a ketone alcohol. 

Chloral.—Chloral, or tri-chlor acet-aldehyde, was first prepared by Liebig in 1832 by the chlorination of alcohol as above. It may also be obtained by the direct action of chlorine upon acet-aldehyde. It is an oily liquid with a sweet suffocating odor. It boils at 97.7°. It does not mix with water but on boiling with water it forms a hydrated compound which crystallizes in large clear crystals, readily soluble in water. This is known as chloral hydrate. The structure of chloral hydrate is probably that of an addition product, viz., a, chlorinated di-hydroxy alcohol. In this compound we have an exception to the general rule that two hydroxyl groups can not be linked to the same carbon atom. 

Oxidation Products of Poly-hydroxy Alcohols.—In our study of the mixed poly-substitution products we considered the mixed alcohol-aldehyde and alcohol-ketone compounds and showed that they are intermediate oxidation products between poly-hydroxy alcohols and poly-basic acids (p. 228). To illustrate, when glycerol, tri-hydroxy propane, is oxidized the following products are obtained. 

This sugar is also an aldo-pentose and is stereo-isomeric with arabinose. It is known as wood sugar because it is obtained by the hydrolysis of wood gum, i.e.f of the pentosans present in this gum. It is crystalline and melts at 140°- 60°. It is optically active, being dextrorotatory. Its osazone melts at 160°. By reduction it yields a penta-hydroxy alcohol and by oxidation it yields tri-hydroxy glutaric acid. 

Derived semisynthetically from 3, 5,7-Tri-hydroxy-4 -methoxyflavanone. Intensely sweet, 612 times more sweet than sucrose. Permitted in EU at low cones. (=10 ppm) for certain applications, e.g. low-alcohol beer. Generally recognised as safe (GRAS) in the USA. 

Dichloro-s-triazine and its 6-alkyl analogs are as easily hydrolyzed by water as trichloro-s-triazine and, on suspension in aqueous ammonia (25°, 16 hr), the first is diaminated in good yield. 2,4-Bistrichloromethyl-6-methyl- and -6-phenyl-s-triazines (321) require a special procedure for mono-alkoxylation (0-20°, 16 hr, alcoholic triethylamine) disubstitution occurs at reflux temperature (8 hr). Aqueous triethylamine (100°, 3 hr) causes complete hydroxy-lation of 2,4,6-tris-trichloromethyl-s-triazine which can be mono-substituted with ammonia, methylamine, or phenoxide ion at 20°. 

The second group of studies tries to explain the solvent effects on enantioselectivity by means of the contribution of substrate solvation to the energetics of the reaction [38], For instance, a theoretical model based on the thermodynamics of substrate solvation was developed [39]. However, this model, based on the determination of the desolvated portion of the substrate transition state by molecular modeling and on the calculation of the activity coefficient by UNIFAC, gave contradictory results. In fact, it was successful in predicting solvent effects on the enantio- and prochiral selectivity of y-chymotrypsin with racemic 3-hydroxy-2-phenylpropionate and 2-substituted 1,3-propanediols [39], whereas it failed in the case of subtilisin and racemic sec-phenetyl alcohol and traws-sobrerol [40]. That substrate solvation by the solvent can contribute to enzyme enantioselectivity was also claimed in the case of subtilisin-catalyzed resolution of secondary alcohols [41]. 

The first asymmetric synthesis of (-l-)-abresoline was achieved from the chiral piperidine derivative 153, which upon treatment of its hydroxy side-chain substituent with carbon tetrabromide, triphenylphosphine, and triethyl-amine cyclized to the frarcr-quinazolidine 154. Deketalization and silyl protection of the phenolic group, followed by stereoselective reduction with lithium tri-t -butylborohydride (L-Selectride ), gave an alcohol, which after acylation and deprotection furnished (-l-)-abresoline 155 (Scheme 25) <2005TL2669>. 

In the case of tri-substituted alkenes, the 1,3-syn products are formed in moderate to high diastereoselectivities (Table 21.10, entries 6—12). The stereochemistry of hydrogenation of homoallylic alcohols with a trisubstituted olefin unit is governed by the stereochemistry of the homoallylic hydroxy group, the stereogenic center at the allyl position, and the geometry of the double bond (Scheme 21.4). In entries 8 to 10 of Table 21.10, the product of 1,3-syn structure is formed in more than 90% d.e. with a cationic rhodium catalyst. The stereochemistry of the products in entries 10 to 12 shows that it is the stereogenic center at the allylic position which dictates the sense of asymmetric induction... 

Fig. 12. Electroenzymatic oxidation of p-cresol under catalysis by PCMH in. long-time batch electrolysis under formation of p-hydroxy benzylalcohol (alcohol) and p-b. .roxy benzaldehyde (aldehyde) (PCMH 16 U = 5.6 nmol PEG-20000 ferrocene 3 0.51 mmr - 9.45 pmol ferrocene starting concentration of p-cresol 41.25 mM = 0.66 mmol additions o. substrate after 4140 min (0,0925 mmol), 5590 min (0.0784 mmol), 6630 min (0.184 mmol), 11253 min (0.371 mmol), in 10 ml tris/HCl-buffer of pH 7.6 divided cell Sigraflex-anode 26 cm2)...

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