Potent competitive inhibition of α-galactosidase and α-glucosidase activity by 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-iminopentitols: syntheses of 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-d-lyxitol and of both enantiomers of 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-iminoarabinitol

The syntheses of 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-D-lyxitol (3), 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-d-arabinitol (4) and 1,4-dideoxy-1,4-imino-l-arabinitol (5) are reported; (3) is a potent competitive inhibitor of α-galactosidase (green coffee beans) and (4) a competitive inhibitor of α-glucosidase (Brewer's yeast) suggesting that iminopentitols have considerable potential as glycosidase inhibitors. (4) was found to be identical to an alkaloid recently isolated from $\text{Angylocalyx boutiqueanus}$.