Identification of amino sugars

Abstract

The volumes of 0.33 N_HC1 required to elute a variety of amino sugars from a column of Zeo-Karb 225 resin have been measured and expressed relative to the volume required for glucosamine so that the values obtained can be used to gain an idea of the identity of an unknown sugar without reference to authentic samples. The orders of separation have been recorded for the amino sugars and their N-acetyl derivatives on paper chromatograms developed in 3 different solvent systems and for the N-acetyl amino sugars on paper electrophoresis. The absorption spectra formed by the sugars in the Rondle and Morgan test have been compared and the amounts of color produced by equal weights have been determined relative to the spectrum formed by glucosamine. The data presented allow a number of amino sugars to be identified with confidence.