Double reductive amination of L-arabino-hexos-5-ulose:a diastereoselective approach to 1-deoxy-D-galactostatin derivatives

The double reductive amination of l - arabino -hexos-5-ulose with benzhydrylamine and NaBH 3 CN takes place in a diastereospecific manner giving in moderate chemical yield (36 %) the galactosidase inhibitor 1-deoxy- d -galactostatin. The aminocyclization of 2,6- di -O- benzyl- l -arabino- hexos-5-ulose is more complicated giving results dependent from the type of amine: with ammonia or methylamine a mixture of C-5 epimeric 1-deoxyazapyranoses ( d -galacto l -altro ratio ≈ 4:1 ) is obtained in 45–65% combined yield, while with benzhydrylamine substantial amounts of an acyclic 1-deoxy-1-benzydrylamino-hexitol (10 % yield) is isolated together with the expected 1-deoxy-azasugars of the d - galacto and l - altro series.