Synthesis and Taste Properties of 4,1′,4′,6′‐Tetrahalodeoxysucrose Analogues

Abstract

The synthesis of a series of 1,4,6‐trideoxy‐1,4,6‐trihalo‐β‐d‐hexulofuranosyl 4‐deoxy‐4‐halo‐α‐d‐hexopyranosides is described. The 4‐chloro‐, 4‐bromo‐ and 4‐iodo‐4‐deoxy‐β‐d‐fructofuranosyl analogues were synthesized from a 3′,4′‐lyxo‐epoxide using the respective alkali metal halides. The corresponding 4‐halodeoxytagatofuranosyl analogues, on the other hand, were obtained by direct halide displacement of the 4′‐O‐trifluoromethanesulfonyl derivative, which was derived by regioselective sulfonylation of 1,6‐di‐O‐trityl‐β‐d‐fructofuranosyl 6‐O‐trityl‐α‐d‐glucopyranoside via its stannylene acetal. The sweetness intensities of these tetrahalodeoxy compounds strongly suggest that both size and configuration of the halogen substituents at C‐4 and C‐4′ are critical for sweetness enhancement.