Structure–sweetness relationships for fructose analogs. Part II. Synthesis and properties of 1,6-dihydroxy-2-hexanone, a simple analog of the ketohexoses, and X-ray structure determination of the corresponding dianhydrides

Abstract

Labile 1,6-dihydroxy-2-hexanone (4) was prepared from the corresponding triol by selective di-O-tritylation, Collins oxidation, and careful detritylation of the resulting keto compound 3 under mild, acidic conditions. As shown by its 1Hmr and 13Cmr spectra, 4 exists as a 3:2 mixture of open-chain and cyclic forms, respectively, at equilibrium in deuterium oxide (25 °C). Upon standing, 4 is slowly converted into a hemiacetalic dimer. Under acidic conditions, dehydrative dimerization takes place to give the corresponding tricyclic dianhydride, one or both of the possible isomers (1:1 mixture) of which being formed according to the presence or absence of water in the medium. The structure (trans) of the thermodynamic isomer 5 was firmly established by an X-ray crystallographic analysis.