THE STRUCTURE OF A SYNTHETIC GLUCAN: I. GENERAL STRUCTURAL FEATURES

Abstract

Only D-glucose was obtained on acid hydrolysis of the glucan. Periodate oxidation released formaldehyde, which was believed to arise from C6 of D-glucofuranose units. From the additional formaldehyde liberated from the borohydride-reduced glucan the degree of polymerization was estimated to be about 165. Complete hydrolysis of the derived polyalcohol gave glycerol, erythritol, D-glucose, and D-xylose. Partial hydrolysis gave glycerol, erythritol, and at least seven non-reducing oligosaccharides. Direct evidence for the existence of relatively large numbers of 1 → 6 and 1 → 4 linkages was found, together with smaller numbers of 1 → 2 linkages. The methylated glucan was freely soluble in chloroform – petroleum ether (5:95), and hydrolysis gave tetra, tri, di, and mono-O-methyl-D-glucoses in a 6:6:3:1 molar ratio.