Equatorial Methyl Research Articles

Local vs global approaches to treat two equivalent methyl internal rotations and 14N nuclear quadrupole coupling of 2,5-dimethylpyrrole.

The microwave spectrum of 2,5-dimethylpyrrole was recorded using a molecular jet Fourier transform microwave spectrometer operating in the frequency range from 2 to 26.5GHz. Only one stable conformer was observed as expected and confirmed by quantum chemical calculations carried out to complement the experimental analysis. The two equivalent methyl groups cause each rotational transition to split into four torsional species, which is combined with the quadrupole hyperfine splittings in the same order of magnitude arising from the 14N nucleus. This results in a complicated spectrum feature. The spectral assignment was done separately for each torsional species. Two global fits were carried out using the XIAM code and the BELGI-C2v-2Tops-hyperfine code, a modified version of the BELGI-C2v-2Tops code, giving satisfactory root-mean-square deviations. The potential barriers to internal rotation of the two methyl groups were determined to be V3 = 317.208(16) cm-1. The molecular parameters were obtained with high accuracy, providing all necessary ground state information for further investigations in higher frequency ranges and on excited torsional-vibrational states.

Equivalent DNA methylation variation between monozygotic co-twins and unrelated individuals reveals universal epigenetic inter-individual dissimilarity

BackgroundAlthough the genomes of monozygotic twins are practically identical, their methylomes may evolve divergently throughout their lifetime as a consequence of factors such as the environment or aging. Particularly for young and healthy monozygotic twins, DNA methylation divergence, if any, may be restricted to stochastic processes occurring post-twinning during embryonic development and early life. However, to what extent such stochastic mechanisms can systematically provide a stable source of inter-individual epigenetic variation remains uncertain until now.ResultsWe enriched for inter-individual stochastic variation by using an equivalence testing-based statistical approach on whole blood methylation microarray data from healthy adolescent monozygotic twins. As a result, we identified 333 CpGs displaying similarly large methylation variation between monozygotic co-twins and unrelated individuals. Although their methylation variation surpasses measurement error and is stable in a short timescale, susceptibility to aging is apparent in the long term. Additionally, 46% of these CpGs were replicated in adipose tissue. The identified sites are significantly enriched at the clustered protocadherin loci, known for stochastic methylation in developing neurons. We also confirmed an enrichment in monozygotic twin DNA methylation discordance at these loci in whole genome bisulfite sequencing data from blood and adipose tissue.ConclusionsWe have isolated a component of stochastic methylation variation, distinct from genetic influence, measurement error, and epigenetic drift. Biomarkers enriched in this component may serve in the future as the basis for universal epigenetic fingerprinting, relevant for instance in the discrimination of monozygotic twin individuals in forensic applications, currently impossible with standard DNA profiling.

Structure and Conformational Analysis of 5-Methyl-2,2-diphenyl-1,3-dioxane

The structure of 5-methyl-2,2-diphenyl-1,3-dioxane has been studied by1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and X-ray analysis. Its molecules in crystal, as well as in CDCl3 and C6D6 solutions, have achair conformation with equatorial methyl group. The conformational transformation pathways, ΔG0298 value for the 5-methyl group in CDCl3 and C6D6, and the optimal number of solvent molecules in the nearest solvation shell of 5-methyl-2,2-diphenyl-1,3-dioxane have been determined by quantum chemical calculations at the PBE/3ξ and RI-MP2/λ2 levels of theory and by comparing the theoretical and experimental vicinal spin–spin coupling constants.

Two Equivalent Internal Rotations in the Microwave Spectrum of 2,6-Dimethylfluorobenzene.

Large amplitude motion of methyl groups in isolated molecules is a fundamental phenomenon in molecular physics. The methyl torsional barrier is sensitive to the steric and electronic environment in the surrounding of the methyl group, making the methyl group a detector of the molecular structure. To probe this effect, the microwave spectrum of 2,6-dimethylfluorobenzene, one of the six isomers of dimethylfluorobenzene, was measured using two pulsed molecular jet Fourier transform microwave spectrometers operating in the frequency range from 2 to 40 GHz. Due to internal rotations of two equivalent methyl groups with relatively low torsional barriers, all rotational transitions split into quartets with separations of up to several hundreds of MHz. The splittings were analyzed and modeled to deduce a torsional barrier of 236.7922 (21) cm-1 . The results are compared to those obtained from quantum chemical calculations and with other fluorine substituted toluene derivatives of the current literature where the methyl group is adjacent to a fluorine atom.

Long-term monitoring of the biomass and production of lipids by Nitzschia palea for biodiesel production

Pennate diatom Nitzschia palea can be cultured in outdoor vertical-bed photobioreactors to produce biodiesel. To assess the production of biomass and lipids, non-axenic cultures of Nitzschia palea were grown outdoors, and the growth of these cultures was measured biweekly. During the annual cycle of algal culture, the culture temperature ranged from 17.3 °C to 33.5 °C, the dry weight biomass ranged from 0.11 g l−1 to 0.25 g l−1, light energy] ranged from 1.94 Wm−2 to 3.9 Wm−2 and intracellular lipid content ranged from 7.1% to 11.4% of biomass weight after drying at 60 °C. Gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) analysis of n-hexane extracts showed that the intracellular lipids were primarily C14:0 myristic acid (9.01%), C15:0 pentadecyclic acid (8.26%) and two types of C16:0, palmitic acid (41.13%) and palmitoleic acid (29.25%). Gel permeation analysis showed that carboxylic acids comprised 28.9% of lipids, 16.3% of monoglycerides, 27.3% of diglycerides and 24.3% of triglycerides. Alcoholysis of lipids resulted in the conversion of about 93.9% of fatty acids to equivalent fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) or biodiesel, which, on basis of wt%, consisted primarily of C15:0 methyl myristate (8.3%), C16:0 methyl pentadecanoate] (7.2%), C17:1methyl palmitoleate (28.7%) and methyl palimtate](39.8%).

Microwave and FIR spectroscopy of dimethylsulfide in the ground, first and second excited torsional states

We present a new global study of the millimeter, submillimeter and far-infrared (FIR) spectra of dimethylsulfide ((CH3)2S). New microwave measurements have been carried out between 49 and 660 GHz using spectrometers in IRA NASU (Ukraine), and PhLAM Lille (France). Pure rotational transitions belonging to the three lowest torsional states (ν11,ν15) = (0,0), (1,0), (0,1) of the molecule as well as to intertorsional transitions (ν11,ν15) = (1,0) ↔ (0,1) observable in the millimeter and submillimeter wave ranges due to intensity borrowing via avoided-crossing interactions were combined with new assignments in the fundamental torsional band (AILES beamline of the synchrotron SOLEIL) and analyzed using a model developed for molecules with two equivalent methyl rotors and C2v symmetry at equilibrium (PAM_C2v_2tops program). The upper limit of the frequency range coverage for the microwave data was extended from 300 GHz to 660 GHz and all symmetry species in the torsional excited states and fundamental torsion band of the molecule were analyzed. The final fit included 87 parameters to give an overall weighted root-mean-square deviation of 0.71 for the dataset with J up to 60 consisting of 22277 microwave line frequencies belonging to the three lowest torsional states (ν11,ν15) = (0,0), (1,0), (0,1) as well as to intertorsional transitions (ν11,ν15) = (1,0) ↔ (0,1) and 5720 FIR line frequencies belonging to the observed fundamental band associated with the methyl-top torsion mode (ν11,ν15) = (0,1) ← (0,0). This investigation presents a twofold expansion in the J quantum number for the ground torsional state (ν11,ν15) = (0,0) and the fundamental torsional band (ν11,ν15) = (0,1) ← (0,0); and significantly extends the analysis for the excited torsional states with one torsional quantum excited (ν11,ν15) = (1,0) and (0,1) for which only 18 transitions with J ≤ 5 were analyzed in previous work.

The torsional fundamental band and high-J rotational spectra of the ground, first and second excited torsional states of acetone

We present a new global study of the millimeter, submillimeter and far-infrared (FIR) spectra involving the three lowest torsional states of acetone ((CH3)2CO). New microwave measurements have been carried out between 34 and 940 GHz using spectrometers in IRA NASU (Ukraine), and PhLAM Lille (France). The FIR spectrum of acetone has been recorded on the AILES beamline of the SOLEIL synchrotron facility. The new data involving torsion–rotation transitions with J up to 90 and Ka up to 52 were combined with previously published measurements and analyzed using a model developed recently to study the high resolution spectra of molecules with two equivalent methyl rotors and C2v symmetry at equilibrium (PAM_C2v_2tops program). The final fit included 117 parameters to give an overall weighted root-mean-square deviation of 0.85 for the dataset consisting of 29,584 microwave and 1116 FIR line frequencies belonging, respectively, to the three lowest torsional states (ν12,ν17) = (0,0), (1,0), (0,1) and to the observed fundamental band associated with the methyl-top torsion mode (ν12,ν17) = (0,1) ← (0,0). The high values of rotational quantum numbers involved in this study provide an opportunity to test the performance of the PAM_C2v_2tops program approach for the case of highly excited rotational states.

The Shape of the Simplest Non-proteinogenic Amino Acid α-Aminoisobutyric Acid (Aib).

The simplest non-proteinogenic amino acid α-aminoisobutyric acid (Aib), an analogue of glycine and alanine, has been vaporized by laser ablation and probed by high-resolution Fourier transform microwave spectroscopic techniques. Comparison of the experimental rotational and 14 N nuclear quadrupole constants with that predicted ab initio has allowed the identification of three conformers of Aib exhibiting three types of hydrogen-bond interactions I (NH⋅⋅⋅O=C, cis-COOH), II (OH⋅⋅⋅N, trans-COOH), and III (N-H⋅⋅⋅O-H, cis-COOH) within the amino acid backbone. The observation of conformer III, not detected previously for related proteinogenic amino acids with a nonpolar side chain in a supersonic expansion, indicates that the presence of the methyl groups should restrict the conformational relaxation from conformer Aib-III to Aib-I. For conformer Aib-II, the rotational spectra of the 13 C isotopomers reveal a tunneling motion arising from the two equivalent methyl groups in the molecule. The observation of a single spectrum at the midpoint between those predicted for the two 13 C of the methyl groups has been explained by considering a double-minimum potential function with a low-energy interconversion barrier for a large amplitude internal motion. This singular fact has been corroborated by the anomalous centrifugal distortion effects determined in conformer Aib-II.

First-episode schizophrenia is associated with a reduction of HERV-K methylation in peripheral blood

Human endogenous retroviruses (HERV) have been widely associated with schizophrenia etiology. Aberrant epigenetic processes may play a role in the etiology of schizophrenia. In this study, we tested whether schizophrenia patients at different stages of illness might present alterations in the levels of HERV-K methylation. We recruited 49 first-episode schizophrenia (FES) patients with 47 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs), and 100 multi-episode schizophrenia (MES) patients with 50 age- and sex-matched HCs. Based on the Schedule for Deficit Schizophrenia, patients with MES were also divided into two subgroups: deficit (D-SCZ) and non-deficit schizophrenia (ND-SCZ). DNA methylation levels of HERV-K sequences were examined in peripheral blood leukocytes. We found significantly lower levels of HERV-K methylation in FES patients compared to HCs. Patients with MES and matched HCs had similar levels of HERV-K methylation. There was a significant positive correlation between chlorpromazine equivalent dosage and HERV-K methylation levels in MES patients, but not in FES individuals. No significant differences in HERV-K methylation levels between D-SCZ and ND-SCZ as well as HCs were found. Our results indicate lower HERV-K methylation levels at early stages of schizophrenia. This difference might normalize with subsequent exacerbations of schizophrenia, likely due to the effects of antipsychotics.

Fourier Transform Microwave Spectra of the Nitrogen Molecule-Ethylene Sulfide and Nitrogen Molecule-Dimethyl Sulfide Complexes.

We recorded the rotational spectra of N2-ethylene sulfide (ES) and N2-dimethyl sulfide (DMS) including the 15N2 and 15N14N isotopomers in the frequency range of 5-25 GHz by using a Fourier transform microwave spectrometer. The b-type transitions for the ortho and para states of 14N2-ES and 15N2-ES and c-type transitions of 14N2-DMS and 15N2-DMS were observed. The 15N14N-ES and 15N14N-DMS species were found to exist in two isomeric forms: inner (14N15N-ES and 14N15N-DMS) and outer (15N14N-ES and 15N14N-DMS). Neither the -ES nor -DMS complexes showed weak accompanying spectra, which had been observed for N2-ethylene oxide (EO). This is because the potential barriers to internal rotation of ES and DMS are higher than that of EO. The spectra were analyzed by an A-reduced asymmetric-top rotational program with less than 4 kHz standard deviation, except for the 15N14N-DMS and 14N15N-DMS complexes. Rotational, centrifugal distortion, and nuclear electric quadrupole coupling constants were determined by the spectral analysis. The V3 potential barrier to internal rotation of the two equivalent methyl groups of DMS in the ortho and para states of the 15N2-DMS complex was determined to be about 740 cm-1. We performed ab initio calculations in order to complement the information on the intracomplex motions obtained from the experimental spectra.

Electron Density Distribution and Structural and Energy Aspects of the Phase Transition in the Crystals of the Triphenylantimony Dimethacrylate Complex

The electron density distribution in Ph3Sb(O2CC(Me)=CH2)2 ⋅ C6H6 and structural and energy aspects of the phase transition in the crystals of this compound were investigated using a series of common (Ib−Ie) and high-precision (Ia) X-ray diffraction experiments. A considerable difference between the root-mean-square atomic displacements in two chemically equivalent methyl groups of the methacrylate ligands was revealed. This difference was shown to be caused by considerable energy difference of the intra- and intermolecular contacts of the corresponding methyl groups.

Unraveling the Role of a Flexible Tetradentate Ligand in the Aerobic Oxidative Carbon–Carbon Bond Formation with Palladium Complexes: A Computational Mechanistic Study

Mechanistic details of the aerobic oxidative coupling of methyl groups by a novel (MeL)PdII(Me)2 complex with the tetradentate ligand, MeL = N, N-dimethyl-2,11-diaza[3.3](2,6)pyridinophane, has been explored by density functional theory calculations. The calculated mechanism sheds light on the role of this ligand's flexibility in several stages of the reaction, especially as the oxidation state of the Pd changes. Ligand flexibility leads to diverse axial coordination modes, and it controls the availability of electrons by modulating the energies of high-lying molecular orbitals, particularly those with major d z2 character. Solvent molecules, particularly water, appear essential in the aerobic oxidation of PdII by lowering the energy of the oxygen molecule's unoccupied molecular orbital and stabilizing the PdX-O2 complex. Ligand flexibility and solvent coordination to oxygen are essential to the required spin-crossover for the transformation of high-valent PdX-O2 complexes. A methyl cation pathway has been predicted by our calculations in transmetalation between PdII and PdIV intermediates to be preferred over methyl radical or methyl anion pathways. Combining an axial and equatorial methyl group is preferred in the reductive elimination pathway where roles are played by the ligand's flexibility and the fluxionality of trimethyl groups.

The torsional barriers of two equivalent methyl internal rotations in 2,5-dimethylfuran investigated by microwave spectroscopy

The microwave spectrum of 2,5-dimethylfuran was recorded using two pulsed molecular jet Fourier transform microwave spectrometers which cover the frequency range from 2 to 40 GHz. The internal rotations of two equivalent methyl tops with a barrier height of approximately 439.15 cm−1 introduce torsional splittings of all rotational transitions in the spectrum. For the spectral analysis, two different computer programs were applied and compared, the PAM-C2v-2tops code based on the principal axis method which treats several torsional states simultaneously, and the XIAM code based on the combined axis method, yielding accurate molecular parameters. The experimental work was supplemented by quantum chemical calculations. Two-dimensional potential energy surfaces depending on the torsional angles of both methyl groups were calculated and parametrized.

A Theoretical Study on the Conformation of 5- and 6-Membered P-Heterocycles: 1- Substituted 2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-1H-Phosphole 1-Oxides and 1,2,3,4,5,6-Hexahydrophosphinine 1-Oxides

Background: The conformation of ring compounds including different heterocycles may bear useful information. The conformational situation of P-heterocycles is a less studied field, practically there are only data for compounds with more heteroatoms (O and N beside P) in the ring. Objective: To fill this gap, we wished to evaluate the conformational situation of saturated P-heterocycles, such as 2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-phosphole 1-oxides and 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexahydrophosphinine 1-oxides by theoretical calculations. Method: The B3LYP/6-311++G(2d,2p) method was used during the quantum chemical calculations aiming at the evaluation of the energetics of the possible conformational equilibriums and geometry of the conformers in the gas phase. Results: Theoretical calculations suggested that while the two optically inactive cis diastereomers of 1- substituted 3,4-dimethyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-phosphole 1-oxides exist as balanced conformational equilibria, the racemic trans forms are present as shifted equilibria towards the more stable conformers. At the same time, both the cis and trans racemic diastereomers of the monomethyl analogues may be described by equilibria biased towards the conformers with equatorial methyl groups. The 3-methyl-1,2,3,4,5,6- hexahydrophosphinine oxide diastereomers also involve biased equilibria. The energetics of the conformational interconversions in the gas phase were demonstrated by novel 3D diagrams. Conclusion: It is a surprising experience that in the saturated P-hetero ring in tetrahydrophosphole oxide derivatives, the P-center does not undergo a configurational change during the interconversions. This is, however, not the case with the 3-methyl-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexahydrophosphinine oxide rings, where the P-center is also “flexible”. Within the P(O)OH moiety of the 5-ring phosphinic acids, an intramolecular transfer of the proton is possible only on energy investment. At the same time, in an intermolecular relationship, the proton transfer is free. Keywords: Phosphorus heterocycles, conformational analysis, quantum chemistry, energetics, stereostructure, proton transfer.

Rotational characterization of methyl methacrylate: Internal dynamics and structure determination

Rotational constants, Watson’s S centrifugal distortion coefficients, and internal rotation parameters of the two most stable conformers of methyl methacrylate were retrieved from the microwave spectrum. Splittings of rotational energy levels were caused by two non equivalent methyl tops. Constraining the centrifugal distortion coefficients and internal rotation parameters to the values of the main isotopologues, the rotational constants of all single substituted 13C and 18O isotopologues were determined. From these rotational constants the substitution structures and semi-empirical zero point structures of both conformers were precisely determined.

A theoretical and NMR lanthanide-induced shift (LIS) investigation of the conformations of lactams.

Molecular mechanics (MM) with MMFF94 and MMX force fields and ab initio (RHF/6-31G*,RHF/6-311G**, and B3LYP/6-311G**) calculations are used with lanthanide-induced shift (LIS) to investigate the conformations of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone 1, N-methyl-2-piperidone 2, ε-caprolactam 3, γ-valerolactam (1,5-dimethyl-2-pyrrolidone) 4, 2-azetidinone 5, 4-methyl azetidinone 6, 4-phenyl azetidinone 7, and N-methyl-4-phenyl azetidinone 8. The Yb(fod)3 paramagnetic induced shifts of all the 1 H and 13 C nuclei are measured and the corresponding diamagnetic complexation shifts obtained by the addition of Lu(fod)3 . The complexation model (two-, three-, or four-site) used depends on the relative rates of the processes involved. The amide inversion is the same order as that of the 5- and 6-membered lactam rings and much faster than the lanthanide complexation and the inversion of the 7-membered ring. Both MM and ab initio calculations give an envelope conformation for 1 with C-4 out of the ring plane in agreement with the LIS analysis. For the piperidone ring of 2, the half-chair is calculated as the most stable form. The LIS analysis confirms this but cannot exclude a small amount (<2%) of the boat conformation. For 3, the LIS analysis gives a minimum for 90:10% chair to boat conformation, and 4 exists in two envelope conformations with the C5 -Me ps-eq and ps-ax in an eq/ax ratio of 94:6%. In 2-azetidinone 5, the ab initio calculations gave both ring and nitrogen planar, but the MMFF94 calculations give a butterfly ring and pyramidal nitrogen. The LIS analysis for 5 gave good agreement (Rcryst 0.46%) for the MMFF94 geometry with endo NH but the planar ab initio geometries worse agreement (Rcryst=1.1%). For 4-methyl-2-azetidinone 6, the MMFF94 geometry gave good agreement (Rcryst 0.96%) with two butterfly conformations with axial and equatorial methyl groups in 1:1 ratio. All the planar geometries gave worse agreement (Rcryst >1.5%). In 4-phenyl azetidinone 7, the MMFF94 geometry with 60% of the axial conformer gave Rcryst 1.2% but the other geometries Rcryst >1.5%. In contrast the N-methyl-4-phenyl-2-azetidinone 8 gave good agreement for all the geometries. The butterfly conformation gave Rcryst 1.1% for 80% of the axial conformer and the planar geometries Rcryst 0.98%. The LIS results confirm the ab initio and MM optimised geometries, but the conformer energies at times differ from the calculated values. They also differ considerably from the corresponding values for the lactones studied previously, and possible reasons for this are discussed.

Methyl-dependent and spatial-specific DNA recognition by the orthologous transcription factors human AP-1 and Epstein-Barr virus Zta.

Activator protein 1 (AP-1) is a transcription factor that recognizes two versions of a 7-base pair response element, either 5΄-TGAGTCA-3΄ or 5΄-MGAGTCA-3΄ (where M = 5-methylcytosine). These two elements share the feature that 5-methylcytosine and thymine both have a methyl group in the same position, 5-carbon of the pyrimidine, so each of them has two methyl groups at nucleotide positions 1 and 5 from the 5΄ end, resulting in four methyl groups symmetrically positioned in duplex DNA. Epstein-Barr Virus Zta is a key transcriptional regulator of the viral lytic cycle that is homologous to AP-1. Zta recognizes several methylated Zta-response elements, including meZRE1 (5΄-TGAGMCA-3΄) and meZRE2 (5΄-TGAGMGA-3΄), where a methylated cytosine occupies one of the inner thymine residues corresponding to the AP-1 element, resulting in the four spatially equivalent methyl groups. Here, we study how AP-1 and Zta recognize these methyl groups within their cognate response elements. These methyl groups are in van der Waals contact with a conserved di-alanine in AP-1 dimer (Ala265 and Ala266 in Jun), or with the corresponding Zta residues Ala185 and Ser186 (via its side chain carbon Cβ atom). Furthermore, the two ZRE elements differ at base pair 6 (C:G versus G:C), forming a pseudo-symmetric sequence (meZRE1) or an asymmetric sequence (meZRE2). In vitro DNA binding assays suggest that Zta has high affinity for all four sequences examined, whereas AP-1 has considerably reduced affinity for the asymmetric sequence (meZRE2). We ascribe this difference to Zta Ser186 (a unique residue for Zta) whose side chain hydroxyl oxygen atom interacts with the two half sites differently, whereas the corresponding Ala266 of AP-1 Jun protein lacks such flexibility. Our analyses demonstrate a novel mechanism of 5mC/T recognition in a methylation-dependent, spatial and sequence-specific approach by basic leucine-zipper transcriptional factors.

ChemInform Abstract: A Mild Method for Regioselective De‐O‐methylation of Saccharides by Co2(CO)8/Et3SiH/CO System.

AbstractThis de‐O‐methylation method shows regioselectivity in different protected monosaccharides.

Structural and Conformational Aspects of Equatorial and Axial Trifluoromethyl, Difluoromethyl, and Monofluoromethyl Groups.

The X-ray crystal structures of cis- and trans-1-(indol-3-yl)-4-methyl cyclohexane and its congeners with stepwise fluorination of the methyl group are reported. The trans-configured compounds adopted diequatorial conformations, whereas the cis analogues adopted regular cyclohexane chair conformations with the methyl group preferentially assuming the axial position, even in the case of the CF3 group. Surprisingly, although the axial CF3 derivative displayed distinct valence deformations in the cyclohexane moiety, the observed structural changes were relatively modest. The cis derivatives with axial mono- and difluorinated methyl groups exhibited conformational disorder in the crystals with significant population levels for the staggered conformations that had one fluorine atom in the endo position; their respective trans counterparts adopted unique conformations, but again with one fluorine atom in the endo position. Theoretical calculations for a series of cis- and trans-1,4-dimethyl cyclohexane model compounds with stepwise fluorination of one equatorial or axial methyl group reproduced the experimentally observed structural response patterns very well, reproduced the experimentally determined nonlinear correlation of the axial-equatorial energy difference with the degree of methyl fluorination in a satisfactory manner, and provided further insights into important conformational aspects of partially fluorinated methyl groups.

A mild method for regioselective de-O-methylation of saccharides by Co2(CO)8/Et3SiH/CO system

A new method for cleaving methyl ethers off protected saccharides using Co2(CO)8/Et3SiH/CO system was developed. The method showed regioselectivity in different protected monosaccharides with various anomeric groups. The primary and equatorial secondary methyl ethers were preferentially removed. This method was successfully applied to the synthesis of the DEF trisaccharide segment of Idraparinux, which is highly methylated.