COMPLEXES OF NATURAL CARBOHYDRATES WITH METAL-CATIONS

Data on the interaction of natural carbohydrates (mono-, oligo-, and p olysaccharides, amino sugars, and natural organic acids of the carbohy drate origin) with metal cations are surveyed and described systematic ally. The structural diversity of carbohydrate metal complexes, caused by some specific features of carbohydrates as ligands, is demonstrate d. The influence of complex formation on the chemical properties of ca rbohydrates is discussed. It is shown that the formation of metal comp lexes plays an important role in the configurational and conformationa l analysis of carbohydrates. The practical significance of the coordin ation interaction in the series of carbohydrate ligands is demonstrate d.