Structural study of hyaluronic acid oligomers and their complexes with copper in water by NMR and IR and molecular dynamics calculations

The hexasaccharide (trimer) and tetrasaccharide (dimer) oligomers of hyalur onic acid were investigated by H-1 and C-13 high resolution Nuclear Magneti c Resonance. The dynamic behavior of the molecules and their complexation w ith copper(II) were analysed by H-1 NMR relaxation studies. A specific site for the complexation of the tetrasaccharide with Cu2+ was demonstrated by analysis of the paramagnetic effect of the metal on non-selective proton re laxation rates. A model fbr the complex involving two molecules of the tetr asaccharide is proposed.