Solid-phase synthesis of oligosaccharides. V. Preparation of an inorganic support

D-Glucose side-chains were introduced into amylose and cellulose by condensation of tetra-O-acetyl-α-D-glucopyranosyl bromide with 6-trityl-2,3-dicarbanilate derivatives of the polysaccharides in nitromethane-p-dioxane in the presence of silver perchlorate (reaction A), and with the detritylated derivatives in acetonitrile-p-dioxane in the presence of mercuric cyanide and mercuric bromide (reaction B). The procedures were equally effective. The distance between the branch points in amylose was in the range 2–4 D-glucose residues, and 5–8 D-glucose residues in cellulose. Whereas considerable degradation of the backbone chain was found with reaction A, no degradation occurred in reaction B under suitable conditions. α-(1→6)-Links were preferably formed in reaction B, and β-(1→6)-links in reaction A.