Improved preparation and synthetic uses of 3-deoxy-d-arabino-hexonolactone: an efficient synthesis of Leptosphaerin

Acetylation of d-glucono-1,5-lactone and subsequent treatment with triethylamine gave 2,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-d-erythro-hex-2-enono-1,5-lactone. Hydrogenation of the latter in the presence of palladium on carbon yielded 2,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-3-deoxy-d-arabino-hexono-1,5-lactone (5) in almost quantitative yield calculated from gluconolactone. Catalytic hydrogenation of 5 with platinum on carbon in the presence of triethylamine gave 2,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-3-deoxy-d-arabino-hexopyranose in quantitative yield. Deacetylation of 5 gave 3-deoxy-d-arabino-hexono-1,4-lactone, which was converted into 3-deoxy-5,6-O-isopropylidene-2-O-methanesulfonyl-d-arabino-hexono-1,4-lactone (10). The latter was converted into 2-acetamido-2,3-dideoxy-d-erythro-hex-2-enono-1,4-lactone (Leptosphaerin). When 10 was boiled in water in the presence of acid, it gave a high yield of 2,5-anhydro-3-deoxy-d-ribo-hexonic acid.