Stereochemical analysis of D-glucopyranosyl-sulfoxides via a combined NMR, molecular modeling and X-ray crystallographic approach

(S)-alpha-Methoxyphenylacetic acid (MPAA) was used as an NMR shift reagent in combination with molecular modeling to predict the absolute configuration of a representative epimeric pair of glucopyranosyl sulfoxides. The correctness of this assignment was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic examination of one of the epimers, 3a1. The crystal structure of ethyl 2,3-di-O-acetyl-4,6-O-benzylidene-1-thio-beta-D-glucopyranoside S-oxide monohydrate 3a1 was solved by direct methods and was shown to bear the (R)-configuration at the sulfinyl center in accordance with our prediction. Furthermore, the conformation of 3a1 in the solid state was found to be remarkably similar to that predicted by molecular mechanics calculations. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.