A Per-O-Isoprofylidene Derivative of (1→4)-β-D-Mannan

Abstract

Isopropylidene acetals of carbohydrates are important as intermediates for the synthesis of other sugar derivatives. The isopropylidenation reaction is generally applied to only low molecular weight carbohydrates. However in 1982, we applied the reaction to a polysaccharide² and demonstrated that (1→3)-β-D-glucan was isopropylidenated at the 4- and 6-hydroxyl groups of the D-glucose units. These results suggested that some chemical modification at the unprotected 2-hydroxyl groups might be possible. Consequently, (1→3)-β-D-glucomannan^3,4 was derived from (1→3)-β-D-glucan through inversion of the 2-hydroxyl groups.