Rhodium-catalyzed decarbonylation of aldoses

A catalytic procedure is described for decarbonylation of unprotected aldoses to afford alditols with one less carbon atom. The reaction is performed with the rhodium complex Rh(dppp)2Cl in a refluxing diglyme-DMA solution. A slightly improved catalyst turnover is observed when a catalytic amount of pyridine is added. Under these conditions most hexoses and pentoses undergo decarbonylation into the corresponding pentitols and tetrols in isolated yields around 70%. The reaction has been applied as the key transformation in a five-step synthesis of L-threose from D-glucose.