The Reactions of Monosaccharides

Abstract

This chapter discusses the chemical reactions that cause functional group transformations within monosaccharides, either for the purpose of elaboration into oligosaccharides or for the synthesis of a derivative of the monosaccharide. Such derivatives include the deoxy and amino deoxy sugars. The major advances have been concerned with the discovery or invention, as some have called it, of chemoselective reagents for oxidation of the various hydroxyl groups within a carbohydrate. The well-established Jones' (CrO3, H2SO4) and Collins' (CrO3, pyridine) reagents soon gave way to milder and more easily handled oxidizing agents, namely pyridinium chlorochromate and pyridinium dichromate. These rea..