Several methyl 6-deoxy-, 6-deoxy-6-halo-, and 6-Op-tolylsulfonylhexopyranoside 2-and 4-p- toluenesulfonates reacted readily with lithium triethylborohydride in boiling tetrahydrofuran under reductive desulfonyloxylation at C-2 and C-4, respectively, and with reduction at C-6 where applicable. The desulfonyloxylations proceeded with ring contraction to furnish, in 40- 60% isolated yields, new branched-chain pentofuranoside derivatives, namely, methyl 2, ...
