THE SOLVOLYSIS OF THE ALPHA- AND BETA-3,4,6-TRI-O-ACETYL-D-GLUCOPYRANOSYL CHLORIDES

Abstract
3,4,6-Tri-O-acetyl-β-D-glucopyranosyl chloride was found to undergo solvolysis in acetic acid to form 1,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-α-D-glucopyranose as the main reaction product. The much less reactive anomeric α-chloride also appeared to undergo solvolysis with extensive inversion of the anomeric center. It is submitted that the tendencies for inversion obtained in these ionic reactions are due to the conformations imposed on the intermediate ions through distribution of the positive charge to the ring oxygen and the consequent introduction of double-bond character to the carbon-1 to ring-oxygen bond.