Detection of neutral and aminosugars from glycoproteins and polysaccharides as their alditol acetates.

A new method for the preparation and separation of alditol acetates from neutral sugars has been applied to aminosugars. Reduced aminosugars were rapidly acetylated using 1-methylimidazole as the catalyst without removal of borate formed during reduction. The alditol acetates were separated by glass capillary gas chromatography on Silar 10C. The alditol acetates of aminosugars had retention times much longer than those of neutral sugars. However, the alditol acetates of the deamination products of aminosugars had shorter retention times and were resolved from those of neutral sugars. This method was used for the simultaneous detection of neutral and aminosugars in acid hydrolysates of chitin and the glycoproteins, ovalbumin and peroxidase.