Chapter 25: Carbohydrates

Acylation of Carbohydrates

Summary

• The -OH groups in carbohydrates react readily with acylating agents such as acid halides or acid anhydrides to give esters.
• Most commonly, the esters used will be an ethanoate (also commonly known as an acetate and represented as "Ac")

This representation shows the same product as that in the scheme at the top of the page.

• These reactions are often used in carbohydrate chemistry since the products act as protecting groups for the reactive -OH functional group.

• Alkylation of Carbohydrates
• Synthesis of Esters

© Dr. Ian Hunt, Department of Chemistry