The tri-0-methanesulfonyl derivatives of methyl a-D-sylopyranoside, methyl 8-L-arabinopyranoside, and methyl a-L-arabinopyranoside undergo selective substitutio~~ a t C-4, when heated with sodium azide in N,N-dimethylforma~nide, to yield 4-azido derivatives with inversion of configuration a t C-4. The resultant 4-azido-2,s-di-0-methanesulfonyl derivatives were converted, by reaction with sodium methoxide, into 2,s-anhydro compounds whose configurations were assigned by nuclear magnetic resonance analysis. The mechanism of epoxide formation is discussed.
ISTRODUCTIONThe many attempts t o effect nucleophilic substitution of isolated sulfonate ester groups attached t o furailoside and pyranoside rings have met with only limited success ( I ) , although the replacement of 4-sulfonates of certain hexopyranosides has been achieved (2), as has also the replacement of the 3-toluene-P-sulfonyl-P-D-glucopyranose (3). T h e course of the reactions of tosyl derivatives of cyclitols with sodium benzoate in N,Ndilnethylforn~amide has also been described (4). The present study is concerned with the con~petitive nucleophilic substitution of methyl 2,3,4-tri-0-methanesulfonyl-pentopyranosides with azide ion in N,N-dimethylformamide solution. This work was prompted by a related investigation of the reaction of methyl hexopyranoside tetrachlorosulfates with chIoride ion (5), to ~vhich the results reported here are strictly analogous.The 2,3,4-tri-0-inethanesulfonyl derivatives of methyl a-D-xylopyranoside (I) (G), methyl P-D-xylopyranoside (11), methyl P-L-arabinopyranoside (III), and methyl a-L-arabinopyranoside (IV) were each caused to react with 1 illole of sodium azide in N,N-diinethylforinamide a t 130' to yield 4-azido-4-deoxy derivatives with inversion of configuration a t C-4. Thus the 4-azido-4-deoxy-2,3-di-O-inethanesulfonyl derivatives of methyl P-L-arabinopyranoside (V) (G), methyl a-L-arabinopyranoside (VI), inethyl a-D-xylopyranoside (VII), and methyl P-D-xylopyranoside (VIII) were obtained from I , 11, 111, and IV, respectively. Of the four azido-di-0-methanesulfonyl derivatives described, only inethyl 4-azido-4-deoxy-2,3-di-O-i11ethanesulfonyl-~-~-xylopyranoside (VIII) could be substituted further in the presence of an excess of sodium azide; these results will be described in a later publication.T h a t V, VI, and VII were resistant to further substitution may be rationalized according to the arguinents put forward by Jennings and Jones (5). T h e ester group on C-2 would be expected to be unreactive as coinpared nrith those on C-3 and C-4 because of their different electronic environments, that on C-2 being in the proximity of t~v o P-oxygen atoins (ring oxygen and anomeric groups). I-Iindrance to attaclc a t the rear side of the sulfonyloxy groups a t C-3 of V and VII by the axial methyl glycosidic group would prevent further substitution in these compounds. T o explain the unreactivity of the ester group a t C-3 of VI it is necessary to invoke deactivation of the equatorial ester group by the vicinal ax...