Reaction of a galactosylated 2-
C-(hydroxymethyl)-tetrofuranose with paramolybdate ion-exchange resin in aqueoussolution at 67
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C gave an equililibrium mixture containingthe reactant aldofuranose (42%) and a 2-ketopentofuranosegalactosylated at O1 (58%). Observation of this stereospecificrearrangement supports prior arguments that substituents atC2 of the branched-chain aldofuranose reactant are locatedin a sterically accessible pocket of the putative dimolybdate-saccharide reactive complex during epimerization. Thisrearrangement provides a new and convenient route to2-ketosugars glycosylated at the exocyclic C1 position.