The main focus of this thesis is on the ring conformations of carbohydrate molecules; how the conformational equilibria and the rates of the associated interconversions are affected by the molecular constitution and their surroundings.

The conformational equilibria of a group of amine linked pseudodisaccharides, designed as potential glycosidase inhibitors, comprising α-D-altrosides are described in Chapter 3. The ^OS₂ conformation was largely populated, and the ring conformation was found to depend on the charge of the amine functionality.

The conformations of β-D-xylopyranoside derivatives with naphthyl-based aglycones, which are potential anti-cancer agents, are described in chapter 4. Solvent dependent flexibility was observed. Intramolecular hydrogen bonds were concluded to be involved in the stabilization of ¹C₄ conformers in non-hydrogen bonding solvents of low polarity.

Chapter 5 describes the first measurements of the conformational exchange rates of mannuronic acid ester derivatives between the ⁴C₁ and ¹C₄ conformations, through DNMR measurements. The relative reactivity of glycosyl triflates as electrophiles in glycosylation reactions were investigated with NMR-based competition experiments.

In Chapter 6, investigations of ruthenium-catalyzed epimerizations of the allylic alcohols of glycal derivatives, and stereoselective synthesis of esters through a DYKAT protocol, are described. The kinetics of the epimerizations were elaborated through different NMR-spectroscopic methods.

Chapter 7 describes additions of NMR chemical shift data of mono- and oligosaccharides to database of the computer program CASPER, and applications thereof.