Study of the transformations of 2-C-(indol-3-yl)methyl-α-l-xylo-hex-3-ulofuranosonic acid (the open form of ascorbigen) in an acidic medium

Transformation of ascorbigen in an acidic medium, which affects the carbohydrate moiety of the molecule and results in the formation of 2-hydroxy-4-hydroxymethyl-3-(indol-3-yl)cyclopent-2-enone, 5-hydroxymethyl-2-(indol-3-yl)methylidenetetrahydrofuran-3-one, and 2-(indol-3-yl)acetylfuran, was investigated. Isolation and identification of the intermediates allowed the elucidation of the mechanism of this domino-type reaction.