The myo-inositol has a very suitable structure for stereochemical study. By the use of carbonyl compounds such as cyclohexanone, acetophenone and furfural, myo-inositol has been into 1, 2-O-substituted derivaties.
The presence of two contiguous hydroxyl groups in ax. -eq. position is necessary for reaction to occur predominantly. In this case, however, di-O-substituted derivatives have been obtained, in other words, contiguous hydroxyl groups in eq. -eq. position have reacted.
The rate constants for the reaction of myo-inositol with carbonyl compounds and activation energys were evaluated.
From the values obtained above, it was found that this reaction was pseudo-first reaction and the order of reaction could be represented as cyclohexanone> acetophenone> furfural.