A Convenient Synthesis of 3,6‐Anhydro‐2‐deoxy‐D‐glucose (Isoglucal) and Some of Its Derivatives.

Abstract The present paper describes a facile synthesis of isoglucal (3,6-anhydro-2-deoxy-D-glucose, 3), starting from the easily available α,β-unsaturated aldehyde (2E)-4,6-di-O-acetyl-2,3-didehydro-aldehydo-D-erythro-hex-2-enose (1). Compound 3 exists in equilibrium with its corresponding bicyclic forms whose anomeric configurations and ring-sizes have been determined.