Oligo structure-function studies

In this article, we illustrate the theory and practice of food polymer science by highlighting the development and technological applications of a polymer characterization method, based on low temperature DSC, to analyze the structure-physicochemical property relationships of linear, branched, and cyclic mono-, oligo-, and polysaccharides. These studies have demonstrated the major opportunity offered by this food polymer science approach to expand not only our quantitative knowledge but also, of broader practical value, our qualitative understanding of the structure-function relationships of such carbohydrates in a wide variety of food products and processes. 

In turn, protected anionic monomers have been thoroughly studied and reviewed by Nakahama and more recently reviewed by Sivaram. Typical examples are shown in Table HI. Styrenic, methacrylate and maleimide monomers with protected functionalities have been examined. Since every monomer unit contains a (protected) functionality, concern about protecting group stability and removal are even more of an issue than with protected initiators or terminators. Sometimes, small structural differences can lead to huge differences in stability. For example, the TBDMS protected monomer (15b)(Table m) does not polymerize with Li, Na, or K napthalenes, oligo(a-methyl styrene)dilithium, or butyllithium to give living TBDMS polymers. However, the TMS monomer (15a) does. Also, the stability of the protected monomer can depend upon tenperature. 

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