Capillary gas chromatography of methylhexitol acetates obtalned upon methylation of N-glycosidically linked glycoprotein oligosaccharides

The 30 O-methylated hexitol and 2-deoxy-2-(N-methyl)acetamidohexitol acetates which commonly may be obtained during methylation analysis of N-glycosidically linked glycoprotein oligosaccharides or their biosynthetic precursors, were subjected to chromatography through glass capillary columns, wall-coated with either Silar 9CP, Dexsil 410, SE-30, or OV 101. All 22 methylhexitol acetates (e.g., 1,5-di-O-acetyl-2,3,4,6-tetra-O-methylglucitol and -mannitol) were optimally resolved on the (most polar) Silar column, whereas the 8 aminohexitol derivatives (as well as the corresponding unmethylated hexitol and aminohexitol acetates) were best separated on either Dexsil 410 or OV 101.