The process for removing a secondary hydroxyl group from an organic compound having at least one secondary hydroxyl group and having any amino groups protected, comprises the reaction of a reactive ester of said secondary hydroxyl group selected from the group consisting of an O-alkylthioester and an O-alkylselenoester with at least one mole of an organotin hydride, preferably tri-n-butylstannane, in an inert, aprotic solvent at a temperature of at least about 100.degree. C and under an inert atmosphere. The process is particularly useful in removing secondary alcohols in aminoglycoside antibiotics to produce deoxy derivatives thereof having antibacterial activity. Also described are novel O-sec.-alkylthiobenzoate, O-sec.-alkyl-S-methylxanthate, N-(sec.-alkoxythiocarbonyl)-imidazole esters, and di-O-alkylthiocarbonates having at least one secondary O-alkyl group, useful intermediates of the claimed process.
The present invention relates to the use of telluroxides as mild and selective oxidizing agents serving to oxidize certain functions, notably >C.dbd.S groups, in the presence of other relatively easily oxidized functions which remain unaffected; telluroxides of interest as oxidizing agents include, for example, compounds of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R and R.sup.1, which may be the same or different, each represent an optionally substituted aryl or heterocyclic group; or R and R.sup.1 together with the tellurium atom therebetween represent a heterocyclic ring, which may contain one or more further heteroatoms, and which may carry substituents and/or fused aromatic rings.