Polymerization chemical, oligosaccharide

The synthesis of the j>. newington O-antigenic polysaccharide by the chemical polymerization pathway will be discussed as an example (J 6 J 7) The first and the most difficult task consists in the preparation of the monomer itself, i. e. , the properly functionalized, oligosaccharide repeating unit. The most usual approach is to introduce the required functions into the already-existing oligosaccharide molecule. 

Direct and non destructive analysis (HPLC, and HPLC coupled with MS) shows that ILC contains anhydro-oligosaccharides with degrees of polymerization ranging from 7 to 2 and levoglucosan. These species result from the depolymerization of the cellulose molecules, It is important to note that the chemical composition of ILC does not depend on the operating conditions (heat flux densities and flash times). 

During the past ten years, the l,6-anhydro-/3-D-hexopyranoses have found wide application in the synthesis of hexoses and their derivatives, and of oligosaccharides, and for polymerization to polysaccharides. They can be used as model compounds in studying the physical and chemical properties of monosaccharides, as has been shown, for example, by nuclear magnetic resonance (n.m.r.) studies, and also by studies of (a) their chiroptical properties, (b) the partial reactivity of hydroxyl groups, and (c) their ability to form complexes. 

Several feruloyl esterases have been purified and characterized (Table 1). However, comparison of their properties is difficult as the range of natural and synthetic substrates used to characterize these enzymes is diverse and the enzyme assays are not unifomi. The substrates range in size and complexity from small, soluble esters such as feruloylated oligosaccharides isolated from plant cell walls and phenolic acid methyl esters or synthetic feruloylated arabinosides to larger, more complex and often less soluble substrates such as feruloylated polymeric plant cell wall fractions (28). The only criterion used in all cases is the release of free ferulic acid or another hydroxycinnamic acid by hydrolysis of an ester bond. Specificity, as defined by Ae rate of catalysis (kca divided by the Michaelis constant gives the best indication of preferred substrates. However, hydrolysis of polymeric substrates is more complicated since not all of the esterified substituents are chemically equal, and effects such as decreased solubility and steric hindrance further complicates any results obtained. Therefore, these data should not be extrapolated to obtain kinetic constants. 

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