Concise synthesis of (+)-conduritol F and inositol analogues from naturally available (+)-proto-quercitol and their glucosidase inhibitory activity.

An effective synthesis of (+)-conduritol F, (+)-chiro- and (+)-epi-inositols from naturally available (+)-proto-quercitol is described. This synthetic method provides a concise synthesis of cyclitols in enantiomerically pure form. Of the synthesized cyclitols, (+)-conduritol F potently inhibits type I α-glucosidase with an IC(50) value of 86.1 μM, which is five times greater than the standard antidiabetic drug, acarbose.