Reactions of oxygen and sulphur anions with oxazolidine and thiazolidine derivatives of 2-mesyloxymethylglyceraldehyde acetonide

Reactions of the oxazolidine (2) and thiazolidine (3) derivatives of 2-mesyloxymethylglyceraldehyde acetonide with oxygen and sulphur anions are described. Whereas oxazolidine formation does not protect the aldehyde function against nucleophilic attack, the thiazolidine group is completely inert to these nucleophiles.