The conformational statistics of pectic acid

Abstract
The effect of random insertions of 1,2‐linked a‐ and β‐L‐rhamnose units on the characteristic ratio of a 1,4‐linked poly‐a‐D‐galacturonic acid molecule was investigated. In each case the characteristic ratio decreases dramatically as the proportion of rhamnose units is increased, the effect being more marked with the β sugar than with the a sugar. The effect is interpreted in terms of kinks which are introduced into the chain by the insertion of the rhamnose units.