Vancosamine: the structure and configuration of a novel amino-sugar from vancomycin.

An amino-sugar, vancosamine, derived from the antibiotic vancomycin, is shown to be 3-amino-2,3,6-trideoxy-3-C-methyl-L-Iyxo-hexopyranose (1). A number of acylated derivatives have been prepared and their physical properties, particularly c.d. and n.m.r. spectra, have been compared and evaluated.