Random depolymerisation of heteropolysaccharides. Part I. Dependence of yield and average molecular weight of homo-oligosaccharides upon monosaccharide distribution

Abstract

A theoretical treatment is reported of the random depolymerisation of linear heteropolysaccharides in which the monosaccharide residues are arranged either uniformly or according to a simple statistical model. For both types of arrangement, equations are derived that relate the combined yield and average molecular weight of all fragments containing only one kind of monosaccharide unit to the overall degree of scission. The results indicate that, for a given degree of scission, these quantities are markedly dependent upon the asymmetry in the distribution of the monosaccharide residues along the polymer chains, and suggest experimental methods whereby this might be evaluated. An example is described of the use of the method to determine the distribution of substitutents in a diethylaminoethyl ether of amylose.