The photolysis of several oxidatively coupled xanthates of model sugar compounds has been investigated. The photolysis of bis (1,2: 3,4-di-Oj-isopropylidene-Q'-'D-galactopyranos-G-yl) dithiobis-(thioformate) (XXXIII) gave the xanthate ester, bis(6-deoxy-l,2:3,4di-Oj-isopropylidene-^-D-galactopyranos-6-y 1) 6-jO, 6 f-^Sj-dithiocarbonate (LXX) in 78% yield. In concentrated solutions, bis(1,2:3,4-di-0isopropylidene-^j-D-galactopyranos-6-y1) tetrathiobis (thioformate) (LXIX) was produced along with LXX. The photolysis of bis (1,2:5,6di-0_-isopropylidene-G^-D-glucofurano.s-3-yl) dithiobis (thioformate) (XIV) gave bis(3-deoxy-l,2:5,6-di-0^isopropylidene-a^-D-glucofuranos-3-yl) 3-jO, 3 8-Sr-dithiocarbonate (LXXVl), in which an oxygen atom on the sugar ring has been replaced with sulfur with retention of configuration. A cyclic mechanism in which either the excited thiocarbonyl sulfur or a sulfur of the disulfide linkage attacks the carbon giving a front side displacement of oxygen has been proposed to account for the observed results.