The behaviour of d-fructose and inulin towards anhydrous hydrogen fluoride

Identification and structural basis of an enzyme that degrades oligosaccharides in caramel

Cooking with fire produces foods containing carbohydrates that are not naturally occurring, such as α-d-fructofuranoside found in caramel. Each of the hundreds of compounds produced by caramelization reactions is considered to possess its own characteristics. Various studies from the viewpoints of biology and biochemistry have been conducted to elucidate some of the scientific characteristics. Here, we review the composition of caramelized sugars and then describe the enzymatic studies that have been conducted and the physiological functions of the caramelized sugar components that have been elucidated. In particular, we recently identified a glycoside hydrolase (GH), GH172 difructose dianhydride I synthase/hydrolase (αFFase1), from oral and intestinal bacteria, which is implicated in the degradation of oligosaccharides in caramel. The structural basis of αFFase1 and its ligands provided many insights. This discovery opened the door to several research fields, including the structural and phylogenetic relationship between the GH172 family enzymes and viral capsid proteins and the degradation of cell membrane glycans of acid-fast bacteria by some αFFase1 homologs. This review article is an extended version of the Japanese article, Identification and Structural Basis of an Enzyme Degrading Oligosaccharides in Caramel, published in SEIBUTSU BUTSURI Vol. 62, p. 184-186 (2022).

Stereoselective Synthesis of 1,6,9-Tri-oxaspiro[4.5]decanes From d-Glucose: Novel Structural Motifs of Spiroacetal Natural Products

Spiroacetals are the central structural core element of numerous natural products and are essential for their biological activity. A typical structural representative of a spiroacetal is the bicyclic 1,6-dioxaspiro[4.5]decane ring system. It represents the complete or partial structure of many biologically potent natural products such as the Paravespula pheromone 1, the antibiotic (+)-monensin A 2, the anticancer agent (−)-berkelic acid 3, the antimitotic ingredient spirastrellolide F, characterized after methylation as (+)-methyl ester 4, and the marine toxin (−)-calyculin A 5. In these compounds, the 1,6-dioxaspiro[4.5]decane ring system is found in either spiro ( R)-6 or ( S) - 6 configuration. The corresponding 1,6,9-trioxaspiro[4.5]decane framework ( S)-7 and ( R)-7 with opposite chirality at the spiro center due to an additional oxygen atom at position 9 in the pyran portion has so far not been found in living organisms or been synthesized. To close this gap and enable structure–activity relationship studies, potentially leading to novel antibiotics and selective anticancer agents, we have developed an efficient and stereocontrolled route to the ( R)- and ( S)-configurated 1,6,9-trioxaspiro[4.5]decane ring system leading to oxa analog motifs of the above natural products.

Fabrication of a Novel and High-Performance Mesoporous Ethylene Tar-Based Solid Acid Catalyst for the Dehydration of Fructose into 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural

In this article, a novel and high-performance mesoporous carbon-based solid acid catalyst was prepared using ethylene tar (ET) as a precursor, which is a byproduct of ethylene production. First, ET was carbonized at 550 °C by using magnesium acetate as the template. After that, the mesoporous ET-based solid acid catalyst was obtained by a one-step sulfonation process that removes the templates simultaneously. On the basis of these facts, the maximum yield of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) in the presence of an ET catalyst during the dehydration of fructose can reach 87.8%. This effective catalytic activity is mainly attributed to the large specific surface area and high density of sulfonic acid groups existing in the ET catalyst. Moreover, no distinct activity drop was observed during five recycling runs that confirmed good recyclability and thermal stability of the ET catalyst. This research provides a novel and promising method for the utilization of ET as a low-cost, recyclable, and high-performance catalyst.

Carbon Dioxide as a Traceless Caramelization Promotor: Preparation of Prebiotic Difructose Dianhydrides (DFAs)-Enriched Caramels from d-Fructose

Activation of a concentrated solution of d-fructose with carbonic acid, generated from carbon dioxide, induces the formation of difructose dianhydrides (DFAs) and their glycosylated derivatives (glycosyl-DFAs), a family of prebiotic oligosaccharides. Under optimized conditions, up to 70% of the active DFA species were obtained from a highly concentrated solution of fructose, avoiding the filtration step and contamination risk associated with the current procedures that employ heterogeneous catalysis with acid ion-exchange resins. The optimized CO₂-promoted preparation of DFA-enriched caramel described here has been already successfully scaled up to 150 kg of d-fructose for nutritional studies, showing that implementation of this process is possible at a larger scale.

Total synthesis of sinenside A

The first total synthesis of norlignan glucoside sinenside A has been accomplished. An intramolecular acetalization reaction has been employed as the key skeletal construct to forge the central cyclic disaccharide core. The trans-1,2-diol configuration present in the cyclic disaccharide of this natural product is unique and has been addressed by setting this configuration at the beginning. A 1,2-orthoester group has been selected as a handle for both sp glycosidation and for differentiation of the C2'-OH (that participates in the key acetalization reaction) of the sugar unit.

Chaetoglobosins from Chaetomium globosum, an endophytic fungus in Ginkgo biloba, and their phytotoxic and cytotoxic activities

In preceding studies, cultivation of Chaetomium globosum, an endophytic fungus in Ginkgo biloba, produced five cytochalasan mycotoxins, chaetoglobosins A, G, V, Vb, and C (1-5), in three media. In the present work, five known chaetoglobosins, C, E, F, Fex, and 20-dihydrochaetoglobosin A (5-9), together with the four known compounds (11-14), were isolated from the MeOH extracts of the solid culture of the same endophyte. The structures of these metabolites were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Treatment of chaetoglobosin F (7) with (diethylamino)sulfur trifluoride (DAST) in dichloromethane afforded an unexpected fluorinated chaetoglobosin, named chaetoglobosin Fa (10), containing an oxolane ring between C-20 and C-23. The phytotoxic effects of compounds 1, 3-8, and 10 were assayed on radish seedlings; some of these compounds (1, 3, and 6-8) significantly inhibited the growth of radish (Raphanus sativus) seedlings with inhibitory rates of >60% at a concentration of 50 ppm, which was comparable or superior to the positive control, glyphosate. In addition, the cytotoxic activities against HCT116 human colon cancer cells were also tested, and compounds 1 and 8-10 showed remarkable cytotoxicity with IC50 values ranging from 3.15 to 8.44 μM, in comparison to the positive drug etoposide (IC50 = 2.13 μM). The epoxide ring between C-6 and C-7 or the double bond at C-6(12) led to a drastically increased cytotoxicity, and chaetoglobosin Fa (10) displayed a markedly increased cytotoxicity but decreased phytotoxicity.

Di-D-fructose dianhydride-enriched products by acid ion-exchange resin-promoted caramelization of D-fructose: chemical analyses

Caramelization commonly occurs when sugars, or products containing a high proportion of sugars, are heated either dry or in concentrated aqueous solutions, alone or in the presence of certain additives. Upon thermal treatment of sugars, dehydration and self-condensation reactions occur, giving rise to volatiles (principally 2-hydroxymethylfurfural, HMF), pigments (melanoidines) and oligosaccharidic material, among which di-D-fructose dianhydrides (DFAs) and glycosylated DFA derivatives of different degree of polymerization (DP) have been identified. This study reports a methodology to produce caramel-like products with a high content of DFAs and oligosaccharides thereof from commercial D-fructose based on the use of acid ion-exchange resins as caramelization promotors. The rate of formation of these compounds as a function of D-fructose concentration, catalyst proportion, temperature, catalyst nature and particle size has been investigated. The use of sulfonic acid resins allows conducting caramelization at remarkable low temperatures (70-90 degrees C) to reach conversions into DFA derivatives up to 70-80% in 1-2 h, with relative proportions of HMF < 2%.The relative abundance of individual DFA structures can be modulated by acting on the catalyst nature and reaction conditions, which offers a unique opportunity for nutritional studies of DFA-enriched products with well-defined compositions.

Chemical and enzymatic approaches to carbohydrate-derived spiroketals: di-D-fructose dianhydrides (DFAs)

Di-D-fructose dianhydrides (DFAs) comprise a unique family of stereoisomeric spiro-tricyclic disaccharides formed upon thermal and/or acidic activation of sucrose- and/ or D-fructose-rich materials. The recent discovery of the presence of DFAs in food products and their remarkable nutritional features has attracted considerable interest from the food industry. DFAs behave as low-caloric sweeteners and have proven to exert beneficial prebiotic nutritional functions, favouring the growth of Bifidobacterium spp. In the era of functional foods, investigation of the beneficial properties of DFAs has become an important issue. However, the complexity of the DFA mixtures formed during caramelization or roasting of carbohydrates by traditional procedures (up to 14 diastereomeric spiroketal cores) makes evaluation of their individual properties a difficult challenge. Great effort has gone into the development of efficient procedures to obtain DFAs in pure form at laboratory and industrial scale. This paper is devoted to review the recent advances in the stereoselective synthesis of DFAs by means of chemical and enzymatic approaches, their scope, limitations, and complementarities.

Chemical and enzymatic approaches to carbohydrate-derived spiroketals: di-D-fructose dianhydrides (DFAs)

Di-D-fructose dianhydrides (DFAs) comprise a unique family of stereoisomeric spiro-tricyclic disaccharides formed upon thermal and/or acidic activation of sucrose- and/ or D-fructose-rich materials. The recent discovery of the presence of DFAs in food products and their remarkable nutritional features has attracted considerable interest from the food industry. DFAs behave as low-caloric sweeteners and have proven to exert beneficial prebiotic nutritional functions, favouring the growth of Bifidobacterium spp. In the era of functional foods, investigation of the beneficial properties of DFAs has become an important issue. However, the complexity of the DFA mixtures formed during caramelization or roasting of carbohydrates by traditional procedures (up to 14 diastereomeric spiroketal cores) makes evaluation of their individual properties a difficult challenge. Great effort has gone into the development of efficient procedures to obtain DFAs in pure form at laboratory and industrial scale. This paper is devoted to review the recent advances in the stereoselective synthesis of DFAs by means of chemical and enzymatic approaches, their scope, limitations, and complementarities.

Spacer-mediated synthesis of contra-thermodynamic spiroacetals: stereoselective synthesis of C2-symmetric difructose dianhydrides

The xylylene moiety (ortho, meta, and para) was employed as a rigid tether in the spacer-mediated synthesis of difructose dianhydrides (DFAs), a unique class of bis-spiroacetal derivatives present in food products. The synthetic methodology exploits the suitability of triflic acid to promote spirocyclization in organic solvents under irreversible reaction conditions, using anomeric isopropylidene fructose derivatives as precursors. Advantage was taken of the strong dependence of the conformational properties of DFAs on the relative configuration of the spiroketal centers. Highly stereoselective syntheses of the contra-thermodynamic difructofuranose and difructopyranose diastereomers, namely the C2-symmetric derivatives having the beta-configuration at both anomeric centers, have been accomplished by judicious choice of the xylylene positional isomer and of the linking position to the fructose building blocks. Interestingly, the rigid spacer concept has also been implemented to favor intermolecular processes leading to higher macrocyclic architectures that incorporate the bis-spiro fructodisaccharide subunit.

Rigid spacer-mediated synthesis of bis-spiroketal ring systems: stereoselective synthesis of nonsymmetrical spiro disaccharides

The application of the "rigid spacer-mediated linkage between nonreacting centers" concept to the preparation of nonsymmetrical bis-spiroketal structures is demonstrated by the stereoselective synthesis of the bis-spiro fructodisaccharide 1, a minor component of industrial caramels. An o-xylylene bridge has been used to limit the conformational space during the intramolecular glycosylation-spirocyclization reaction of a difructopyranose precursor, thus controlling both the ring size and the stereochemistry at the spiro centers. [Structure: see text]

Process for producing the potential food ingredient DFA III from inulin: screening, genetic engineering, fermentation and immobilisation of inulase II

Difructose anhydride (DFA III) is a new potential sweet food additive. A screening was undertaken to isolate bacterial strains for conversion of inulin to DFA. Of special interest were thermotolerant enzymes. Some 400 strains were investigated, among four of them produce DFA and strain Buo141 expresses an extracellular enzyme which is stable at elevated temperatures. Based on metabolic data and 16S-rRNA-sequencing, the strain was identified as a new Arthrobacter species. For increased enzyme production, the inulase gene was cloned into E. coli XL1-blue, inulase II was expressed and its activity detected. After identifying the cleavage site, the sequence coding for a signal-peptide was eliminated from the plasmid and a beneficial amino acid exchange introduced by error-prone PCR. The recombinant E. coli was fermented to 10.5 g/l and after disruption an activity of 1.76 MioU/l was observed. The enzyme was flocculated from supernatant and entrapped in calcium alginate hydrogels. To enable production of uniform and small beads JetCutter technology was used with a production rate of 5600 beads/(snozzle). The influence of bead diameter on activity was investigated. An activity of 196 U/g was measured for 600-microm beads.

The combined hydrolysis and hydrogenation of inulin catalyzed by bifunctional Ru/C

A one-pot process for hydrolysis and hydrogenation of inulin to D-mannitol and D-glucitol over a bifunctional Ru/C catalyst was developed. The hydrolysis is catalyzed by the carbon support, onto which acidity was introduced by pre-oxidation. The effect of different carbon treatments on the hydrolysis of inulin was studied. Oxidation with ammonium peroxydisulfate resulted in a carbon with the highest hydrolysis activity. On this carbon, long chain inulin is hydrolyzed faster than inulin rich in short chains. The application of high pressure (up to 100 bar) increased the hydrolysis rate substantially. The combined process was successfully conducted with a Ru-catalyst supported on this oxidized carbon.

Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of mono- and disaccharides in D-fructose, D-glucose and sucrose caramels by gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Di-D-fructose dianhydrides as tracers of caramel authenticity

The monosaccharide (D-fructose, D-glucose, anhydrosugars), disaccharide (glucobioses) and pseudodisaccharide (di-D-fructose dianhydrides) content of D-fructose, D-glucose and sucrose caramels has been determined by gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (GLC-MS) of their trimethylsilyl (TMS) or TMS-oxime derivatives. The chromatographic profiles revealed significant differences in the disaccharide/pseudodisaccharide distribution depending on the caramel source: a D-fructose caramel contains prominent proportions of di-D-fructose dianhydrides, a D-glucose caramel mainly D-glucobioses, and a sucrose caramel similar proportions of both disaccharide/pseudodisaccharide series. It is noteworthy that di-D-fructose dianhydrides are found in all three types of caramels and might then be used as specific tracers of the authenticity of caramel, i.e., a product resulting from the controlled heat treatment of food-grade carbohydrates for use as food additives.

Di-D-fructose dianhydrides and related oligomers from thermal treatments of inulin and sucrose

Thermal treatment of anhydrous, acidified sucrose or inulin yields caramels containing monosaccharides and oligomers, predominantly dianhydrides and higher oligomers derived by the addition of glycosyl residues to dianhydrides. Fourteen dianhydrides, most of which comprise two fructose moieties, have been identified by mass spectroscopy of the per-O-trimethylsilyl ethers. Thirteen of these dianhydrides have been isolated and characterized; five of the dianhydrides are novel compounds and one of these is a glucose-fructose dianhydride. The dianhydrides and related oligomers are thought to have a prebiotic effect by stimulating the proliferation of bifidobacteria in the large intestine.

The configuration and conformation of di-D-fructose anhydride I. The crystal and molecular structure of 3,4,3',4'-tetra-O-acetyl-6,6'-di (triphenylmethyl)-di-D-fructose anhydride I

The crystal structure of 3,4,3',4'-tetra-O-acetyl- 6,6'-di(triphenylmethyl)-di-D-fructose anhydride I (1) has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystals are monoclinic, space group P2(1) with a = 16.399(2), b = 9.091(2), c = 17.946(4) A, beta = 103.66(1) degrees, V = 2600(2) A3, and Z = 2. The structure was refined to R = 0.044 and Rw = 0.051 for 4403 observed reflections. The structure analysis of 1 showed that the previously assigned chemical structure of di-D-fructose anhydride I is undoubtedly alpha-D-fructofuranose beta-D-fructofuranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride. The conformations of the furanose rings are E5 with P = 59.8 and tau m = 43.2 degrees for D-fructose 1, and 2T3 with P = -34.39 degrees and tau m = 39.64 degrees for D-fructose 2. The two furanose fragments are linked by a 1,4-dioxane ring in a spiro arrangement. The 1,4-dioxane ring has a chair conformation with Cremer-Pople puckering parameters Q = 0.527 A, phi = 72.2 degrees and the a = 14.2 degrees.

Difructose dianhydrides from sucrose and fructo-oligosaccharides and their use as building blocks for the preparation of amphiphiles, liquid crystals, and polymers

Controlled selective protonic activation of the fructosyl moiety in sucrose and fructo-oligosaccharides, with pyridinium poly (hydrogen fluoride) at 20 degrees C, yielded either the kinetic product alpha-D-fructofuranose beta-D-fructofuranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride (1), or its thermodynamically more stable isomer alpha-D-fructofuranose beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride (2), depending on the hydrogen fluoride-pyridine ratio. A similar reaction was performed with 6,6'-dichloro-6,6'-dideoxysucrose, or 6,6'-dideoxy-6,6'-diiodosucrose, using a slightly higher ratio of HF, resulting in the corresponding 6-deoxy-6-halo-alpha-D-fructofuranose 6'-deoxy-6'-halo-beta-D-fructofuranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride derivatives. Both 6,6'-dihalides were converted, upon action of the appropriate nucleophile, into the difructofuranose dianhydride derivatives bearing the 6,6'-di-S-heptyl-6,6'-dithio, 6,6'-diazido-6,6'-dideoxy and then 6,6'-diamino-6,6'-dideoxy functionalities. 6-Chloro-6-deoxy and 6-deoxy-6-iodo derivatives of 2 were also prepared by direct halogenation, and further converted into the 6-S-heptyl-6-thio, 6-azido-6-deoxy and then 6-amino-6-deoxy derivatives of 2. Reaction of chloromethyloxirane with 1 or 2 yielded hydrophilic polymers. The 6,6'-di-S-heptyl-6,6'-dithio derivative of 1 displayed liquid crystal properties. The 6,6'-dideoxy-6,6'-diiodosucrose precursor was prepared by the reaction of Garegg's iodine-imidazole-triphenylphosphine reagent with sucrose in N,N-dimethylformamide solution.

Di-D-fructose dianhydrides from the pyrolysis of inulin

Inulin was pyrolyzed in air to produce di-D-fructose dianhydrides (DFDAs) in approximately 26% yield, three of which were identified by MS, NMR, and comparison with literature data. The mass spectra of the per-O-trimethylsilyl derivatives of the DFDAs are discussed. A mechanism is proposed for the formation of DFDAs from inulin during pyrolysis.

Anhydro sugars and oligosaccharides from the thermolysis of sucrose

Thermolysis of anhydrous, amorphous, acidified sucrose results in polymerization initially involving the fructosyl cation and later the glucosyl cation. Monomeric and dimeric anhydro sugars form during the thermolysis and are incorporated into the fructoglucan polymer.

Synthesis of dispirodioxanyl pseudo-oligosaccharides by selective protonic activation of isomeric glycosylfructoses in anhydrous hydrogen fluoride

Dispirodioxanyl pseudotetrasaccharides 6-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-alpha-D-fructofuranose 6-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-D-fructofuranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride, 5-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-alpha-D-fructopyranose 5-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride, 4-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-alpha-D-fructofuranose 4-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride, 4-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-alpha-D-fructofuranose 4-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride, and 3-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-alpha-D-fructofuranose 3-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-D-fructofuranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride were respectively obtained, on a preparative scale, by dissolution of the isomeric glycosylfructoses palatinose, leucrose, maltulose, lactulose, and turanose in anhydrous hydrogen fluoride. The reaction, involving selective protonation at the free anomeric position of the fructose unit, was extended to the preparation of the pseudotrisaccharides 6-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-alpha-D-fructofuranose beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2',1-dianhydride from palatinose and fructose, and to its 3-O-, 4-O-, and 4'-O-glucosyl analogues using turanose and maltulose as the disaccharide precursor. The cross-reactions of palatinose with maltulose and with leucrose resulted in the preparation of 6-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-alpha-D-fructofuranose 4-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride and 6-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-alpha-D-fructofuranose 5-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride, respectively.

Protonic reactivity of sucrose in anhydrous hydrogen fluoride

Sucrose reacts quantitatively, when dissolved at high concentration in anhydrous hydrogen fluoride, to afford a complex mixture of difructose dianhydrides and their glucosylated derivatives. Oligo- and small poly-saccharides up to dp 14 were detected by FABMS. Oligosaccharides up to dp 4, representing approximately 50% of the total mixture, have been isolated and characterized by mass spectrometry, 13C NMR spectroscopy, and comparison with reference oligosaccharides previously obtained by unambiguous synthesis. alpha-D-Fructofuranose beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride is the main spirodioxanyl pseudodisaccharide entity found in the mixture, either free or glucosylated at C-6 and to a lesser extent at C-3, C-4, C-4', C-6, and C-5' C-6. Minor spirodioxanyl pseudodisaccharide components are di-beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride, which has also been found glucosylated at C-5, alpha-D-fructopyranose beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride, beta-D-fructofuranose beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,3'-dianhydride, and the 6,6'-diglucosylated alpha-D-fructofuranose beta-D-fructofuranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydride. A 13C NMR examination of the higher mass oligomeric fraction suggests that it may involve 6-O-isomaltooligoglycosyl alpha-D-fructofuranose beta-D-fructopyranose 1,2':2,1'-dianhydrides as the main structural components. The reaction of sucrose in anhydrous HF is believed to proceed through initial selective protonic activation of the tertiary anomeric carbon atom of the fructose moiety, resulting in the quantitative formation of difructose dianhydrides, which subsequently suffer electrophilic substitution by glucopyranosyl oxocarbenium ions generated in a second step by action of the HF.

Pyrolysis of inulin, glucose, and fructose

The pyrolytic behavior of inulin, a (2-->1)-linked fructofuranan, is described. Parallel investigations of the pyrolysis of glucose and of fructose were conducted to supplement the inulin results and to aid comparison with previous results from glucans. Effects of neutral and basic additives are emphasized. As with glucans, the addition of such additives (especially basic) increases the yields of the one-, two-, and three-carbon products (as well as of hexosaccharinolactones), while generally decreasing the yields of anhydro sugar and furan derivatives. The former products include glycolaldehyde, acetol, dihydroxy-acetone, acetic acid, formic acid, and lactic acid. Mechanistic speculations are made regarding the origins of these compounds, as well as of furan derivatives and saccharinic acid lactones. Parallels with alkaline degradation are considered.

Selective protonic activation of isomeric glycosylfructoses with pyridinium poly(hydrogen fluoride) and synthesis of spirodioxanyl oligosaccharides

Selective activation of the ketose unit in the isomeric glycosylfructoses, palatinose, leucrose, maltulose, turanose and lactulose, with pyridinium poly(hydrogen fluoride) resulted in the almost quantitative formation of glycosylated difructose dianhydrides. The reaction preferentially involves a reactive fructofuranosyl oxocarbenium ion and is subject to stereoelectronic control. The relative amounts of isomeric spirodioxanyl oligosaccharides obtained within a series was shown to depend on the reaction conditions, especially on the hydrogen fluoride-pyridine ratio. Using suitable concentrations of hydrogen fluoride in pyridine, the reaction was easily directed to the formation of the kinetic difuranosyl or thermodynamic pyranosyl derivatives. More rigorous conditions resulted in the specific hydrolysis of one glycosidic bond in the tetrasaccharides derived from palatinose, leucrose and turanose, to yield spirodioxanyl trisaccharides.