Each of the two hydroxyl groups of isosorbide can be alkylated selectively, either by direct alkylation with benzyl chloride or allyl bromide according to the reaction conditions, or by a three-step procedure involving selective monoacetylation, alkylation with four different reagents, and finally deacetylation. Monobutyl and monomethyl derivatives from isosorbide are also described.
Isosorbide and its functionalized derivatives have numerous applications as bio-sourced building blocks. In this context, the synthesis of diols from isosorbide diallyl ether by hydrohydroxymethylation reaction is of extreme interest. This hydrohydroxymethylation, which consists of carbon-carbon double bonds converting into primary alcohol functions, can be obtained by a hydroformylation reaction followed