ABSTRACT
Total synthesis of carbohydrates (in enantiomeric forms) can be roughly divided into two large areas: syntheses starting from aliphatic precursors and those employing cyclic substrates.
In the first group of syntheses, three carbon substrates (e.g., n-and L-glyceraldehyde; n-and L-lactaldehyde); and tetracarbon, (e.g., L-threose) are often elongated by addition reaction to the carbonyl group-Wittig or aldol reactions (Scheme 1)-and the products obtained are subsequently converted into required structures.
