SYNTHESIS OF AMINOACYL SUGAR DERIVATIVES AND THEIR TASTE CHARACTERISTICS. I. 2,3-DI- O-AMINOACYL DERIVATIVES OF ALKYL d-GLUCOPYRANOSIDES

Aminoacyl derivatives of methyl α- and β-d-glucopyranosides have been synthesized in order to ascertain the structural features required for the perception of a sweet taste. 2,3-Di-O-(l-aminoacyl) derivatives of methyl α-d-glucopyranoside showed a strong sweet taste (16–35× sucrose), which decreased or disappeared when either one of the two l-aminoacyl groups was absent or substituted by a d-aminoacyl group. In the case of 2,3-di-O-(l-alanyl) derivatives of methyl d-glucopyranoside, the α-anomer was very sweet (16–25× suc.) whereas the β-anomer was not sweet. The structural prerequisite for sweetness in this group of compounds proved to be the presence of l-aminoacyl groups at C-2 and C-3, and the α-configuration at C-1. Its α-isopropyl anomer showed the highest sweetness (64× suc.), hence the increased lipophilicity is also an important criterion.