Synthesis of chromogenic substrates of alpha-amylases on a cyclodextrin basis

One-pot acetylation and subsequent partial acetolysis of alpha-, beta- and gamma-cyclodextrins resulted in crystalline peracetylated malto-hexaose, -heptaose, and -octaose, respectively. Prolonged acetolysis of beta-cyclodextrin gave a mixture of acetylated maltooligosaccharides, from which peracetylated malto-triose, -tetraose, and -pentaose were isolated. The acetylated oligosaccharides were converted into alpha-acetobromo derivatives, and then transformed into 4-nitrophenyl and 2-chloro-4-nitrophenyl beta-glycosides. From the 4-nitrophenyl glycosides 4,6-O-benzylidene derivatives were prepared, which were used together with the free glycosides as substrates of porcine pancreatic alpha-amylase. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.