| Abstract | D-α-Fructoheptonic lactone (I) was oxidized with an equimolar amount of periodic acid to give formaldehyde and a hexuronic lactone (II) which was hydrolyzed to crystalline 4-C-hydroxymethyl-L-xyluronic acid (III), (68% yield). Hydrogenation of III gave an aldonic acid which was isolated as crystalline 2-C-hydroxymethyl-L-xylonic lactone (V). Reduction of V by sodium amalgam gave 2-C-hydroxymethyl-D-xylose (VI), which crystallized after purification as the 2,5-dichlorophenylhydrazone. Hydrogenation of VI gave 1,1-di(C-hydroxymethyl)-D-threitol (VII) which was purified as the crystalline hexaacetate. Treatment of III with methanolic hydrogen chloride gave a glassy material which was reduced by sodium borohydride and hydrolyzed by hydrochloric acid to give 4,4-di(C-hydroxymethyl)-D-threose (IX), which was isolated and characterized as the crystalline 2,5-dichlorophenylhydrazone. Oxidation of III by either bromine or nitric acid gave 2-C-hydroxymethyl-D-xylaric acid (IV), which was characterized as the crystalline ammonium salt. |
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