The Constitution of Cellulose

Abstract

The constitution of cellulose has been studied up to now rather comprehensively using the common methods of carbohydrate chemistry (hydrolysis, methylation, periodate oxidation). Acid or enzymatic hydrolysis of polysaccharides results in the formation of free monosaccharides, the ratio of which indicates the monomer (sugar) composition of the initial polysaccharide. Partial acid or enzymatic hydrolysis results in the formation of oligosaccharides, the structure of which exhibit fragment composition of the initial polysaccharide. It is important that the oligosaccharides obtained after partial hydrolysis, although less complex objects for structural analysis, reflect rather strictly the architecture of the main chain of the initial molecule. At the same time, the determination of molecular weights of the initial polysaccharide and the oligosaccharide allows us to specify whether the corresponding oligosaccharide is formed due to hydrolysis of the glucosidic linkages of the main chain or due to cleavage of the hydrolytically unstable side or terminal substituents or groups. Upon acid hydrolysis of cellulose usually only d-glucose is formed [9].