Hydrogenation of 4-deoxy-β-l-threo-hex-4-enopyranosyluronic acid sodium salt attached to xylodiose or xylotriose

A sodium salt of 4-deoxy-β-l-threo-hex-4-enopyranosyluronic acid 1 attached to xylodiose or xylotriose is hydrogenated for the first time. Moreover, the double bond of 4-deoxy-β-l-threo-hex-4-enopyranosyluronic acid sodium salt 1 can be reduced by hydrogenation in water without removing the allylic hydroxyl group. Highly active homogeneous catalysts and heterogeneous catalysts were tested and only palladium or platinum on charcoal catalysts were found to be active in this case.