Glyconothio-O-lactones. Part I. Preparation and reactions with nucleophiles

Furanoid and pyranoid glyconothio-O-lactones were prepared by photolysis of S-phenacyl thioglycosides or by thermolysis of S-glycosyl thiosulfinates, which gave better results than the thionation of glyconolactones with Lawesson's reagent. Thermolysis of the thiosulfinates obtained from the dimannofuranosyl disulfide 7 or the manofuranosyl methly disulfide 8 (Scheme 2) gave low yields of the thio-O-lactone 2 . However, photolysis of the S-phenacyl thioglycoside 6 obtained by in situ alkylation of the thiolato anion derived from 5 led in 78–89% to 2 . Similarly, the dithiocarbonate 10 was transformed, via 11a , into the ribo-thio-O-lactone 12 (79%). Thermolysis of the peracetylated thiosulfinates 14 (Scheme 3) led to the intermediate thio-O-lactone 15 , which underwent facile β-elimination of AcOH (→ 16 , 75%) during chromatography. The perbenzylated S-glucopyranosyl dithiocarbonate 18 (Scheme 4) was transformed either into the S-phenacyl thioglucoside 19 or into a mixture of the anomeric methyl disulfides 21a/b . Whereas the photolysis of 19 led in moderate yield to 2-deoxy-thio-O-lactone 20 , oxidation of 21b and thermolysis of resulting thiosulfinates gave the thio-O-lactone 4 (79%), which was transformed into 20 (36%) upon photolysis. The pyranoid manno-thio-O-lactone 26 was prepared in the same way and in good yields from 22 via the dithiocarbonate 24b and the disulfide 25 . The ring conformations of the δ-thio-O-lactones, flattened ⁴C₁ for 15 and 4 and B_2,5 for 26 , are similar to the ones of the O-analogous oxo-glyconolactones. The reaction of 2 (Scheme 5) with MeLi and then with MeI gave the thioglycoside 27 (29%) and the dimeric thio-O-lactone 29 (47%). The analogous treatment of 2 with lithium dimethylcuprate (LiCuMe₂) and MeI led to a 4:1 mixture (47%) of 31 and 27 . The structure of 2 was proven by an X-ray analysis, and the configuration at C(6) and C(5) of 29 was deduced from NOE experiments. Substitution of MeI by CD₃I led to the CD₃S analogues of 27 , 29 , and 31 , i.e. 28 , 30 , and 32 , respectively, evidencing carbophilic addition and ‘exo’-attack on 2 by MeLi and the enethiolato anion derived from 2 . The preferred ‘endo’-attack of LiCuMe₂ is rationalized by postulating a single-electron transfer and a diastereoselective pyramidalization of the intermediate radical anion.