Spectra of Carbohydrates

A number of reviews of mass spectra of carbohydrates have been published from which references to the original papers are available (4, 9, 11, 24, 26). The application of mass spectrometry to this field was initially limited by the relatively low volatility of free carbohydrates and by the complex spectra obtained from some derivatives. These limitations have been partially overcome by new inlet techniques and by pioneering studies on classes and derivatives in order to understand the characteristic fragmentations and rearrangements of the molecular ions of a wide range of carbohydrates. 

The widespread occurrence of long-range couplings in both furanose and pyranose derivatives explains why so many of the P.M.R. spectra of carbohydrate derivatives are apparently poorly resolved, even when the resolution of the spectrometer is above reproach. For example, the Hi resonance of the 1,6-anhydro-D-glucose derivative (12) is coupled to all of the other six ring protons. A further example of the line-broadening effect follows a consideration of the spectrum of 5,6-dideoxy-5,6-epithio-l,2-0-isopropylidene-/ -L-idofuranose for which the half-height... 

It is evident from the above discussion that more-detailed studies of the P.M.R. spectra of carbohydrate derivatives will reveal an ever-increasing number of long-range couplings. Studies in this laboratory are directed towards the investigation of the occurrence of these couplings in the spectra of both furanose and pyranose derivatives. 

Fig. 1 also may be used to note some general characteristics of C spectra of carbohydrate polymers ( -11) Chemical shifts of anomeric carbons (C-l), in the region of 100-110 p.p.m., are typically well separated from other signals. As compared with C-l of the related monosaccharides (12-15)j the anomeric carbon is strongly deshielded (commonly by 7-10 p.p.m.) through glycoside formation (9)> i.e., by the change from 0-H to an 0-C bond. 

It is noteworthy that most of the chemical shift values for all three polymers may be closely approximated ( ) by calculations based on data for monomeric reference compounds. These findings illustrate, therefore, the general validity of studies on low molecular weight model compounds for einalysis of spectra of carbohydrate polymers. Many examples of equally satisfactory comparisons of this kind are to be found in studies on other polysaccharides (11,23). These polymers include glucans (l6), mannans (2k, 2 ), limit dextrins (26), lichenin (2j), agarose (28) and various polysaccharides of fungal and microbial orgins (e.g., 7,8,29-31). Observed departures from expectation have been attributed to specific conformational influences ( 8). 

Infrared spectra, of carbohydrates, 12, 13-33 Infrared spectroscopy, and carbohydrate chemistry, 19, 23-49 Irvine, James Colquhoun, obituary of, 8, xi-xvii Isotopes,... 

Unfortunately, owing to the extreme instability of the carbohydrate molecule, the molecular ion can only occasionally be traced in the mass spectra of carbohydrate derivatives. 

III. Mass Spectra of Carbohydrate Derivatives 1. General Remarks... 

The study of such techniques as F.t.-i.r., computerized laser-Raman, or n.c.a., however great their degree of sophistication, should have practical utility for carbohydrate chemists and biochemists. That is why, amid the current problems elucidated by the interpretation of the vibrational spectra of carbohydrates and their derivatives, a section has been reserved for discussion of structure-properties relationships. 

The intensities of the infrared absorptions and of the inelastic scattered light (Raman) are determined by such electrical factors as dipole moments and polarizabilities. At the time of the pioneering studies on the infrared spectra of carbohydrates by the Birmingham school,7"11 calculations of the vibrational frequencies had been performed only for simple molecules of fewer than ten atoms.27,34,35 However, many tables of group frequencies, based on empirical or semi-empirical correlations between spectra and molecular structure, are available.32,34"37... 

The calculation of the electro-optical parameters describing Raman intensities is not yet very advanced, because of the paucity of data. Nevertheless, some success was achieved in calculations of the intensity of infrared absorption. The results on trans and gauche bond-rotation in ethylene glycol146 could be taken as a model for carbohydrates. Indeed, similar electro-optical parameters (/aCH, /aOH, /aCC, and /aCO) were calculated. This leads to the expectation that calculations of the intensity of the vibrational spectra of carbohydrates may be accomplished in the near future. In addition, the delicate problem of accounting for molecular interactions in calculating infrared intensities could be approached as it was for v(CCC) and i CO) vibrations in acetone.149 This will allow interpretation of weak, as well as strong, i.r. bands, in order to determine the structural properties of molecules. 

It is difficult to assign all of the observed i.r. and Raman vibrations of carbohydrates. The i.r. spectrum is particularly irregular, because it contains combination bands that may overlap with those due to fundamental modes, and interact with one another, leading to distortion of the shapes of the observed bands. Raman spectra show fewer irregularities, because combination bands in them are less important. However, even though the spectra of carbohydrates are complex, advantage can be taken of them by use of such techniques as isotopic substitution, or the model-compound approach. 

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