T. BRUCE GRINDLEY and RATHY PONNAMPALAM. Can. J. Chem. 58,1365 (1980. lH nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is used to correct the structures of most of the known partially acylated derivatives of aldose diethyl dithioacetals which contain more than one acyl group. Previous work had suggested that the hydroxyl group on carbon-2 was the least readily acylated secondary hydroxyl group; current work indicates that it is among the most readily acylated. Evidence is presented which shows that the preferential methylation of aldose diethyl dithioacetals at 0-2 is caused by the presence of the sulfur atoms.T. BRUCE GRINDLEY et RATHY PONNAMPALAM. Can. J. Chem. 58, 1365(1980. La spectroscopic de rmn 'H est utilisee pour corriger la structure de la plupart des derives connus, partiellement acyles, des diethyl dithioacetals d'aldose contenant plus d'un groupe acyle. Des travaux anterieurs ont suggere que legroupe hydroxyle sur le carbone 2 Ctait le groupe secondaire le moins facilement acyle. Le present travail indique que ce groupe est un des plus facilement acyles et on y demontre aussi que la methylation preferentielle des diethyl dithioacetals d'aldose a la position 0-2 est due la presence d'atomes de soufre.There has been considerable interest in the to be uncertain. In this publication, we revise the selective acylation of carbohydrates in the last few structures of four of the five known derivatives of years (I). This activity has been directed at this type. evaluating the relative reactivities of the various Results hydroxyl groups and also at generating useful StrLlcturalAssigrzrnent synthetic intermediates. Although little systematic Structural assignments for this series of attention has been given to the partial acylation of pounds were made from the I~ nmr spectra by aldOse d i e t h~l dithiOacetals, a number partially ,sing the observation (13) that converacylated derivatives have been synthesized (2-7). sion of an hydroxyl group to an acetate causes the It is well established that acylation can be per-signal for a geminal secondary proton to appear formed at the terminal primary hy-1.0-1.2 ppm downfield from its position in the und r o x~l position (2). In addition, a number of de-substituted derivative. The effect of a benzoate rivatives which are more fully substituted have group is similar. Since the number of acyl groups been prepared in fair to good yields (3-7). With one present in each derivative was already known, the exception (71, the structures of these derivatives above observation allowed totally unambiguous were considered to have the groups On the structural determination after the individual signals h~d r o x~l group and then progressively up in the IH nmr spectra had been assigned to specific the carbon skeleton. For instance, the tri-0-protons. benzoyl derivative of D-galactose diethyl dithioacetal was considered to be the 4,5,6-tri-0-2,4,5,6-Tetra-0-benzoyl-D-glucose Diethyl benzoyl derivative (6). One of these derivatives, Dithioacetal ( I ) and its Derivatives the tetrabenzoyl deriv...