Chemo- and regioselective monosulfonylation of nonprotected carbohydrates catalyzed by organotin dichloride under mild conditions.

The catalytic regioselective monosulfonylation of nonprotected carbohydrates using organotin dichloride under mild conditions is examined. The carbohydrates were chemo- and regioselectively converted to the corresponding monosulfonates in the presence of monoalcohols using catalytic dibutyltin dichloride. The regioselectivity of the sulfonylation is attributed to the intrinsic character of the carbohydrates derived from the relative stereochemistry between their hydroxy groups.