Methyl 2,3-Di-O-(L-α-aminobutyryl)-α-D-glucopyranoside, a New Sweet Substance, and Tastes of Related Compounds of Neutral Amino Acids and D-Glucose Derivatives

Methyl 2, 3-di-O-(L-phenylalanyl)-α-D-glucopyranoside and other O-aminoacyl sugars composed of neutral amino acids were synthesized to discover their tastes. Among them, phenylalanine derivatives were strongly bitter [the bitterness of methyl 2, 3-di-O-(L-phenylalanyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-phenylalanyl)-α-D-glucopyranoside are equal to that of strychnine], on the other hand, O-aminoacyl sugars composed of amino acids having short side chain were very sweet; The sweetness of methyl 2, 3-di-O-(L-α-aminobutyryl)-α-D-glucopyranoside is more than 50 times as strong as that of sucrose.