Application of Dichlorovinyl Xyloside for the Novel Synthesis of 2,3,4‐Tri‐O‐methyl‐D‐xylono‐1,5‐lactone

Abstract

A novel synthesis of 2,3,4‐tri‐O‐methyl‐D‐xylopyranose, 4, and its oxidation product 2,3,4‐tri‐O‐methyl‐D‐xylono‐1,5‐lactone, 5, are reported. The new synthesis applies a regioselective Wittig‐like reaction of tetra-O-acetyl-D-xylopyranase, 1, with triphenylphosphine and carbon tetrachloride to yield an O‐dichlorovinyl xyloside protected at C‐1, 2. The protecting group facilitates the permethylation of xylose and is removed under the methylation conditions, to yield tetra-O-acetyl-D-xylopyranase, 3. The anomeric methyl group was removed under mildly acidic conditions to give 2,3,4‐tri‐O‐methyl‐D‐xylopyranose, 4, in good yield. Compound 4 was oxidized using pyridinium chlorochromate to give the title compound, 5, in 95% yield.