The rate constants for the perchloric acid catalyzed substit~~tion ol one ethylthio group 01 ~,~,4,5,6-penta-O-acetyl-~-ficose diethyl dithioacetal (Va) and the acetoxy group bonded to CI of 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexa-0-ncetyl-D-glucose S-ethyl monothioacetal (VIa) have been ~neasured when the substrates were dissolved in solutions of acetic acid and acetic anhydride. ?'he ratedetermining step is interpreted to be the dissociation of the substrate c o n j~~g a t e acid to give a carbonium-sulfonium cation. The rate constants indicate that acyclic sugar derivatives are substituted faster than cyclic (pyranose) derivatives, and that a n acetosy group is substituted faster than an ethylthio group.Acetals dissolved in mixtures oi acetic acid and acetic anhydride \\-hich contaiil a strong acid give substitution products \vhich arise by cleaving either C-0 bond of the substrate. The product has a C-OAc bond in place of the C-0 bond cleaved. Thus mcthyl 2,3,4-tri-0-acetyl-P-arabinoside (I) gave both I1 and I11 \vhen the acid \\-as zinc chloride or 0.16y0 sulfuric; and gave the C l gem-diacetate (I\'), a product \\-hich required cleavage of both the C1-OCI13 and C1-0 ring bonds of I, when the catalyst \\-as 4y0 ssulfuric acid (1).Poly-0-acetyl diethyl dithioacetals of the comnzon monosaccl~arides behave in much the same n7ay. Pirie (2) dissolved dithioacetals (V) in acetic anhydride which contained 1.8 Msulfuric acid, and isolated products (Cl gem-diacetates (1'11)) for~ned by s u b s t i t~~t i o n after cleavage of each ethylthio group. Sinlilar to the observation of A,Iontgomery ef nl. (1) \\-hen I \\-as the substrate, acids a t lo~v concentration catalyze a fast substitution of one For personal use only.