Research PaperMicellar effect on the direct Fischer synthesis of alkyl glucosides

- Micellar catalysis applied to Fischer reaction have great and unexpected impact on the course of this reaction.
- Micellar catalysis were applied for the first time to synthesis of alkyl glucosides directly from unprotected glucose according to Fischer glucosidation mechanism.
- Application of micellar catalysis causes an increase conversion of glucose to nearly 100% and high selectivity to glucopyranoside anomers.
- Reaction parameters of glucosidation process were optimized.

This manuscript presents results from the investigation on the synthesis of alkyl glucosides by the novel, very efficient and environmentally friendly protocol of the Fischer-type synthesis from unprotected glucose and aliphatic alcohols. The use of the dual functionality catalysts (surfactant + acid catalyst) and micellar reaction system are the main novelty of described method. It has been found, that in developed method of synthesis the reaction of unprotected glucose with aliphatic alcohols carried out with significantly different route, than the normal (classical) route and leads to alkyl glucopyranoside derivatives with high yields. In progress analyses by DLS, HPLC and GC/MS confirm the general postulated pathway of developed method.

The study reported an innovative method of the synthesis of alkyl glucoside surfactants directly from unprotected glucose and aliphatic alcohols according to Fischer glucosidation mechanism in micellar reaction system.92