ANHYDROALDITOLS IN THE SUGAR ANALYSIS OF METHANOLYSATES OF ALDITOLS AND OLIGOSACCHARIDE-ALDITOLS

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0008-6215(84)85307-0

In the context of the methanolysis procedure for sugar analysis, several alditols were investigated for their capacity to form anhydro derivatives in M methanolic HCl (24h, 85 deg C).Xylitol, D-arabinitol, L-fucitol, D-glucitol, galacticol, 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-galactitol, and the alditols of N-acetylneuraminic acid were very prone to form anhydrides, whereas 2-amino-2-deoxy-D-galactitol, 2-amino-deoxy-D-glucitol, D-mannitol, and 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-D-glucitol formed little anhydride.Anhydride formation was observed for the relevant alditols when present in reduced oligosaccharides.This findings is importance in the quantification of sugar residues based on methanolysis, N-(re)acetylation, trimethylsilylation, and subsequent capillary g.l.c.