Diborane Reduction of O-(Tert-Butyldimethylsilyi.)galactaramides. A Model Study for Aminoalditol Synthesis

Tert-butyldimethylsilylation of dimethyl galactarate (1) with tert-butylchlorodimethylsilane/imidazole/N,N-dimethylformamide at 25 ddot]C dimethyl 2,5-bis-O-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)galactarate (2) as the principal product, with methyl 2,3,5-tris-O-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-D,L-galactarate-l,4-lactone (3) and methyl 2,3-bis-O-(tert-butyldimethyl)-D,L-galactarate-l,5-lactone (4) as minor products. When the reaction was carried out at 65 ddot]C, the only product was the 1,4-lactone, 3 Ammonolysis of 2 in methanol gave 2,5-bis-O-(tert-butyldimethyl)-galactaramide (5, 94%), which was conveniently reduced with borane- THF to 1,6-diamino-1,6-dideoxygalactitol, isolated as its dihydrochloride 9. Ammonolysis of 3 in methanol gave a mixture of 5; 2,3,4-tris-O-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-D,L-galactaramide (6), 2,3,5-tris-O-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-D,L-galactaramide (7), and 2,3,5-tris-Q-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-D,L-1,4-lactonogalactaramide (8). Borane-THF reduction of a mixture of 6 and 7 also yielded 9. This study served as a model for the use of O-silylated carbohydrate amides in the preparation of aminodeoxyalditols.