Some Implications in Carbohydrate Chemistry of Theories Relating to the Mechanisms of Replacement Reactions

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses some implications of the theories relating to the mechanisms of replacement reactions in the carbohydrate chemistry. It discusses the significance of new concepts from the field of theoretical organic chemistry and thus helps to stimulate the advance. The chapter focuses on the reactions of O -acyl derivatives of sugars, glycosides, and glycosyl halides because these substances play the central role in carbohydrate chemistry. The chapter presents the correlation of both stability and reactivity with structure. This requires the complete structure of each compound considered to be established unequivocally. Several experiments carried out by different scientists are discussed. The chapter reviews the nature and activating effect of neighboring-group participation in reactions at the lactol carbon atom. General considerations of anomerization are presented. Acetylated aldoses, O -acetylglycosyl halides, and acetylated alkyl glycosides are reviewed in detail in the chapter.