IMPROVED SYNTHESIS OF GLYCOSYLAMINES AND A STRAIGHTFORWARD PREPARATION OF N-ACYLGLYCOSYLAMINES AS CARBOHYDRATE-BASED DETERGENTS

D-Glucose, D-galactose, lactose, cellobiose, and maltose yield quantit atively the corresponding glycosylamine when treated at 42 degrees C f or 36 h with a commercial aqueous solution of ammonia in the presence of one equivalent of ammonium hydrogen carbonate. After lyophilisation , the residue (i.e., the pure glucosylamine) was dissolved in a mixtur e of ethanol and water, and treated with acyl chlorides to afford in a few minutes N-acylglucosylamines. Micellar properties of these amphip hilic derivatives were determined.