Glucan derivatives, structural

The complexity of glucan derivatives and the structural parameters of influence on the reactivity and properties of products have now been outlined. Next discussed is how this challenging complexity is faced and handled in analysis. Concepts and experimental approaches to achieve quantitative information on various stmctural levels and interpretability of experimental data are also discussed. 

Benzyl derivatives of (1 6)-a-D-glucan, (l->6)-a-D-mannan, and (l-> 6)-a-D-galactan have been studied in 1,4-dioxane. These derivatives have complex and interesting c.d. spectra due to the ww transition of the chromophore with resolved vibrational structure. However, a conformational interpretation of these interesting spectra is not possible at this time. 

Single crystals of the D-glucan from Acetobacter xijlinum were prepared in water-methanol solutions at room temperature. Using electron and X-ray diffraction, a hexagonal unit-cell, with a = h = 0.518 nm and c = 2.0 nm, was derived. It was concluded that the chain axes lie parallel to the surface of the lamellar crystals, that there are 2.5 water molecules per /3-D-Glcp residue, and that the structure is similar to that of cellulose hydrate II (Ref. 42). 

Saito, ., M. Nishijima, N. Ohno, T. Yadomae, and T. Miyazaki. 1992. Structure and antitumour activity of the less-branched derivatives of an alkali-soluble glucan isolated from Omphalia lapidescens. Chem. Pharm. Bull. 40 261-263. 

As the X-ray diffraction diagrams of an oriented gel (Fig. 6) are poorly crystalline, it has been useful to conduct X-ray crystal structure analyses of oligomer of 3-(l->-3)-D-glucan. The molecular structures of laminarabiose and its acetyl derivative have been determined. 

A pentasaccharide and a trisaccharide have been isolated from an enzymic hydrolyzate of hemicellulosic material from oat coleoptiles.224 Methylation analysis of their structures indicated that these compounds may derive from j8-D-(l — 4)-linked D-glucans having terminal D-xylopyranosyl groups on some 0-6 atoms. Xylo-glucans having these structural features are present in the primary cell-walls of dicotyledons.22411... 

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