Synthesis of a novel polymeric carbohydrate via regio‐ and stereoselective cyclopolymerization of 1,2:5,6‐dianhydrohexitol

The selective cyclopolymerization of 1,2:5,6‐dianhydrohexitols corresponding to diepoxides was a new synthetic strategy for polycarbohydrates, though the polymer is a lack of the anomeric linkage which is found in the naturally occurring polysaccharides. 1,2:5,6‐Dianhydro‐3,4‐di‐O‐methyl‐D‐mannitol, L‐iditol, and D‐glucitol were polymerized using t‐BuOK and BF₃·Oet₂ to produce the polymers consisting of five‐membered rings. On the other hand, the polymers consisting of six‐membered rings were obtained by the cationic and anionic polymerizations of meso allitol and galactitol monomers, respectively.