. J . Chem. 61, 1387 (1983).The synthcsis and properties. particularly ' H , "P, and ' " nmr, of new phosphate estcrs of I ,2-0-isopropylidene-a-D-riboand xylo-furanoses arc described. For the cyclic phosphates the configuration at the asymmetric phosphorus atom is determined and for all derivatives the preferred conformation of the furanosc and dioxaphosphorinanc rings and the conformation around the phosphoester bonds are prcscnted. Thc dependency of 'Jr>occ coupling constants on factors other than dihcdral angles is reportcd and discussed.JEAN-RICHARD NEESER, JEAN M . J . TRONCHET ct ETIENNE J . CHAROLLAIS. Can. J . Chem. 61, 1387 (1983). Nous dCcrivons la synthhsc ct les proprietes spectroscopiques (en particulier de rmn ' H , "P ct "C) de nouveaux esters phosphoriques de 0-isopropylidkne-1 ,2-u-D-ribo-et xylo-furannoses. Pour les dCrivCs phosphatc cyclique, la configuration au nivcau de I'atome dc phosphore asyrnetriquc a CtC attribuCe, et pour tous nos composCs, la conformation prCfCrenticlle des cycles furannosique et dioxaphosphorinanne, ainsi que la conformation autour des liaisons phosphoester, sont dCterminCcs. Nous observons Cgalcment une variation des constantes dc couplage Ilr,occ en fonction d'autres facteurs quc les angles dikdres et discutons de la signification de tcls resultats.Considering the importance of pentose phosphates, either by themselves, as structural units of nucleotides, or in metabolic biochemical systems, we were prompted to study derivatives of two important naturally occurring pentoses, namely D-xylose and D-ribose. The observations made on these model compounds might prove useful in the understanding of the conformational properties of biologically important nucleotide derivatives.Syntheses of derivatives 1 to 12 were carried out from 1 ,2-0-isopropylidene-a-D-xylofuranose (A) or 1,2-0-isopropylidene-a-D-ribofuranose (B), as depicted in Fig. 1.Results and discussion 1. Itflared ntzd n~icle~zr magnetic resotzntzce spectroscopy.Conji:guratiot~al assigr~met~t of asjltntnetrical phosphorus atoms in compounds 1 to 4 As previously reported (6-9), the values of the P=O stretching frequency (around 1300 cm-') can be used successfully to assign the configuration of phosphorus atoms of a pair of asymmetrical phosphorus-containing epimeric dioxaphosphorinane rings. Such an assignment is dependent on the orientation of the P=O bond, resulting from the conformation of the heterocycles. For example, in compound 1: v P=O (equatorial) = 1295 cm-', and in compound 2: v P=O (axial) = 1285 cm-'.Tables 1-4 summarize the nrnr data for compounds 1 to 12. As previously reported (7-9), "P chemical shifts of derivatives 1 and 2 show a dependence similar to that of v P=O, as a function of the orientation of the phosphoryl bond: in compound 1, 6 "P = + 16.80 ( P = 0 equatorial) and in compound 2, 6 "P = + 14.10 (P=O axial). Configurational assignment of the phosphorus atom for 3 was deduced from a comparison of the 'H and "C nrnr spectra of 1 and 3. The phosphorus atom configuration for 4 was establish...