CRYSTAL AND MOLECULAR-STRUCTURE OF A NITROPENTITOL AND 4 NITROHEXITOLS

The crystal structures of 1-deoxy-1-nitro-d-arabino-pentitol, and 1-deoxy-1-nitro-d-galacto-, 1-deoxy-1-nitro-l-manno-, 1-deoxy-1-nitro-l-gluco-, and 1-deoxy-1-nitro-d-ido-hexitol were resolved by X-ray diffraction using direct methods. In all compounds, the oxygen atoms of the nitro group show a preference in their orientations to H-1 and H-2, one being in a position synclinal to H-12 and the other 1,3-synclinal to H-2. All molecules adopt the extended, planar, zig-zag conformation which is remarkable for the l-gluco and d-ido isomers, as both thus tolerate parallel 1,3-interactions (O//O) that are avoided in the parent hexitols by a bending into a sickle conformation. © 1990.