Regulated Degradation of 1.3 Polysaccharides

Abstract

IT has been shown¹ that when 1,4 polysaccharides, such as starch or cellulose, are treated with periodic acid solution, the carbon chain in each sugar unit is ruptured between carbon atoms 2 and 3, the —CHOH groups at these positions being oxidized to —CHO. Acid hydrolysis of these oxidized polysaccharides yields solutions containing glyoxal and erythrose. It has now been shown in this laboratory that aqueous solutions of periodic acid-oxidized starch or cellulose yield, when treated with phenylhydrazine acetate, a yellow amorphous precipitate. When the mixture is heated on the water-bath, glyoxalosazone is rapidly formed in crystalline condition. The glycosidic linkage, which is fairly resistant to acid hydrolysis, is thus readily opened by the phenylhydrazine reagent under mild conditions.