THIOGLYCOSIDES AS POTENTIAL GLYCOSYL DONORS IN ELECTROCHEMICAL GLYCOSYLATION REACTIONS .1. THEIR PREPARATION AND REACTIVITY TOWARD SIMPLE ALCOHOLS

Constant potential electrolysis of several glycosyl donors such as substituted phenyl 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl, benzoyl or benzyl-1-thio-beta-D-gluco or galactopyranosides in dry acetonitrile in the presence of various primary, secondary or tertiary alcohols performed in an undivided cell, gave preferentially beta-linked saccharides in moderate to good yields according to the nature of the protective groups on the sugar moiety. 2-Deoxy-2-phthalimido-1-thio-beta-D-gluco derivatives gave the beta-glucosides selectively in excellent yields. It was found, as expected, that substitution of the phenyl group with methoxy or methyl radicals facilitates the electrochemical glycosylation reaction by lowering the oxidation potentials of the corresponding thioglycosides.