Structure analysis of 1,4-glucan derivatives

Cellulose, starch and cyclodextrin ethers and esters are produced for many fields of application as for example oil recovery, building and ceramic mat erials, textile and paper industry, food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. F or further development of new types of derivatives and also for a better un derstanding of their properties a detailed analysis of the usually complex mixtures is required. By complete degradation, separation and quantificatio n of appropriate monomer derivatives the regioselectivity in the glucose un it can be determined. For the determination of the substitution pattern in the polymer chain partial random degradation, oligomer analysis by mass spe ctrometry, and subsequent statistical evaluation can be applied. The compos ition of products obtained by enzymatic degradation also reflects the patte rn in the polymer chain. In addition a possible heterogeneity of the materi al must be taken into consideration, since any degradation averages the str uctural information.