Enantiomeric 2-acetamido-1,4-dideoxy-1,4-iminoribitols as potential pyrrolidine hexosaminidase inhibitors

2-Acetamido-1,4-imino-1,2,4-trideoxy-D-ribitol (DRBNAc) and the enantiomeric LRBNAc were prepared as potential hexosaminidase inhibitors from L- and D-lyxonolactone, respectively. Neither N-benzyl-DRBNAc nor N-benzyl-LRBNAc showed any inhibition of α- or β-hexosaminidases or any other glycosidase.