Gram-scale synthesis and efficient purification of 13C-labeled levoglucosan from 13C glucose.

(13)C-Labeled levoglucosan has been synthesized and purified in good yield, and on the gram scale in one step from commercially available (13)C glucose. This one-step protocol uses 2-chloro-1,3-dimethylimidazolinium chloride that serves to selectively activate the anomeric carbon toward substitution reactions. The labeled glucose is then smoothly converted to the anhydroglucose.