DISTRIBUTION OF SUBSTITUENTS IN A PARTIALLY METHYLATED 4-O-METHYLGLUCURONOXYLAN

Abstract
A 4-O-methylglucuronoxylan has been partially methylated and the distribution of the substituents has been established. The hydroxyl group at C3 was less reactive than that at C2 in both the main xylan chain and in the acid side chains. Caution should be exercised in attributing structural significance to the presence of small amounts of sugars containing C3 hydroxyl groups in hydrolyzates from methylated xylans.