Partial methylation of D-xylose diethyl dithioacetal in tetrahydrofuran with methyl iodide and silver oxide yielded 2-, 3-, and 5-O-methyl-D-xyloses in the ratio of 20:10:1. The poly-O-methylated components were not examined. The 2-O-methyl-D-xylose was identified as the crystalline sugar and the 3-O-methyl ether as the phenylosazone and p-bromophenylosazone. An alternative preparation of the dithioacetal in tetrahydrofuran solution is described.
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