Methanesulfonyl chloride in N,N-dimethylformamide transformed unprotected D-arabinitol into its 1,5-dichloro derivative in 50% yield. Other pentitols also reacted to give the corresponding 1,5-dichloropentitols, but with lower yields. The structures of the products were determined by n.m.r. spectroscopy.
WISNIEWSKI, ANDRZEJ;SKORUPOWA, EUGENIA;SOKOLOWSKI, JANUSZ;GLOD, DANIEL;DE+, J. CARBOHYDR. CHEM., 8,(1989) C. 59-72