Selective purification of reduced oligosaccharides using a phenylboronic acid bond elut column: potential application in HPLC, mass spectrometry, reductive amination procedures and antigenic/serum analysis.

A phenylboronic acid (PBA) derivatized Bond Elut column has been investigated for the selective purification of oligosaccharide alditols and of oligosaccharide derivatives formed by reductive amination reactions. These compounds are specifically retained by the column via interaction of sterically unhindered vicinal hydroxyl groups, hence achieving their separation from glycopeptides, unreduced oligosaccharides and non-carbohydrate reactants. This purification procedure has widespread application for the clean-up of derivatives prior to HPLC, mass spectrometry and antigenic/serum analysis.