Preparation of Sugar Derivatives Using the Amalgam Process

Methyl α‐D‐glucopyranoside dissolved in N,N‐dimethylformamide was benzylated with benzylbromide using sodium amalgam and grains of an electrocatalyst for the generation of intermediate sugar anions. The obtained substitution pattern is comparable to the pattern generated using a platinum electrode at −2 V Ag/Ag⁺ for the generation of the anions.

Keywords:

• Sugar derivatives
• Sugar anions
• Amalgam process