The preparation of some bromodeoxy- and dibromodideoxy-pentonolactones

Brief reaction of d-lyxono-1,4-lactone (1) with hydrogen bromide in acetic acid (HBA) yields 2-bromo-2-deoxy-d-xylono-1,4-lactone (2), and a similar treatment of d-ribono-1,4-lactone (8) gives 2-bromo-2-deoxy-d-arabinono-1,4-lactone (12). On longer reaction with HBA, 1 is converted into 2,5-dibromo-2,5-dideoxy-d-xylono-1,4-lactone, whereas 8 forms a mixture of 2,5-dibromolactones. Reduction of 2 and 12 gives 2-bromo-2-deoxy-d-xylose and -d-arabinose, respectively. On hydrogenolysis, 2 and 12 are converted into 2-deoxy-d-threo- and 2-deoxy-d-erythro-pentono-1,4-lactone, respectively. The 2,5-dibromolactones can be selectively hydrogenolysed to 5-bromo-2,5-dideoxy-d-pentono-1,4-lactones.