IDENTIFICATION OF DISACCHARIDES BY GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY FOURIER-TRANSFORM INFRARED-SPECTROSCOPY

The use of GC-Fourier transform (FT) IR of methylsilyl ethers of disac charides to positively identify disaccharides is reported for the firs t time. The conditions required to separate these high-molecular-mass compounds by GC, in the quantities required for FT-IR detection are re ported. Trimethylsilyl ethers can be used successfully. The use of dim ethylsilyl ethers is not recommended as their instability, under the r equired operating conditions, resulted in fragmentation and rearrangem ents.