The chemistry of D‐gluconic acid derivatives. Part 1: Synthesis of 3,4;5,6‐di‐O‐isopropylidene‐D‐glucitol and 2,3;4,5‐di‐O‐isopropylidene‐aldehydo‐D‐arabinose from D‐glucono‐1,5‐lactone

Acid-catalysed isopropylidenation of D-glucono-1,5-lactone with 2,2-dimethoxypropane yields methyl 3,4;5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-D-gluconate. Convenient syntheses of the title compounds from this ester by reduction and oxidation sequences, together with the characterisation of the products and intermediates are described.