The influence of boric acid on the acetylation of aldoses: ‘one-pot’ syntheses of penta-O-acetyl-β-D-glucofuranose and its crystalline propanoyl analogue

Abstract

When glucose and boric acid are heated in acetic acid a soluble compound forms from which, with acetic anhydride and catalytic amounts of sulfuric acid, a mixture consisting of >90% of the glucofuranose per-acetates (α∶β ratio 1∶1.8) is obtained in high yield. In the absence of the sulfuric acid partial acetylation takes place and penta-O-acetyl-β-D-glucofuranose (α∶β ratio 1∶52) is obtainable in good yield by removal of boric acid and completion of the esterification by addition of acetic anhydride and pyridine. A new, crystalline glucofuranose, penta-O-propanoyl-β-D-glucofuranose, is obtained in 58% yield in a ‘one-pot’ procedure using boric acid.

The effects of boric acid on the acid-catalysed acetylation of other aldo-hexoses and -pentoses suggest that the synthesis of furanosyl per-esters could be successful with xylose and idose as well as with glucose.

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