13C-n.m.r. spectra of some ribitol teichoic acids

Proton-decoupled ¹³C-n.m.r. spectra were determined for D₂O solutions of several wall teichoic acids containing glycosylated ribitol 1,5-diphosphate residues and for their dephosphorylated repeating-units. Assignments were made by correlating the chemical shift values observed with those reported for isolated constituents, allowing for perturbations of the latter resonances because of the presence of O-glycosyl or phosphodiester bonds. Anomeric configurations of hexopyranosyl residues and their position of substitution on ribitol were indicated from the distinctive chemical shifts of the carbons concerned. Three-bond ¹³C³¹P couplings (6–8 Hz) were observed, and two-bond ¹³C³¹P couplings were indicated by broadened signals. The lack of resolution for the latter resonances is probably due to the heterogeneous nature of the polymers.