Abstract
The Konigs-Knorr condensation of 4, 6-di-O-acetyl-2, 3-O-carbonyl-[alpha]-D-mannopyranosyl bromide with 1, 2, 3, 4-tetra-O-acetyl-[beta]-D-glucose provides a synthetic route to 6-O-[beta]-D-manno-pyranosyl-D-glucose. When some other derivatives of [alpha]-D-manno-pyranosyl bromide-the 2, 3, 4, 6-tetra-O-benzoyl-, 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl, or 3,4, 6-tri-O-acetyl-2-O-benzyl derivative-are used as the halide component the -d-linked isomer of this disaccharide is produced. The steric outcome of Konigs-Knorr syntheses involving these and other derivatives of [alpha]-D-mannopyranosyl bromide is discussed in terms of the influence of neighboring groups, and of conformational and solvent effects. Lead tetraacetate oxidation of 6-O-[beta]-D-mannopyranosyl-D-glu-cose, followed by reduction, affords 4-O-[beta]-D-mannopyranosyl-D-eryth-ritol, a metabolite produced by Ustilago species (PRL 627).