Chemical methods for selective cleavage of glycosidic bonds in the structural analysis of bacterial polysaccharides

This review is devoted to methods for the selective cleavage of glycosidic bonds. The mechanisms of reactions underlying these methods are considered and examples of their practical application in the structural analysis of bacterial polysaccharides are given. Specific methods for the selective cleavage of polysaccharides, remaining relevant for researchers, include the Smith degradation based on destruction of monosaccharides containing vicinal diol groups, dephosphorylation of phosphate-containing polysaccharides with hydrofluoric acid and the hydrolytic cleavage of glycosyl phosphate bonds in the latter compounds. Non-specific methods, including partial acid hydrolysis, acetolysis and solvolysis with anhydrous organic (CF3SO3H, MeSO3H, CF3CO2H) and inorganic (HF) acids do not make any specific demands on the composition and structure of the polysaccharide and are sensitive to its fine structural features. The review addesses the issue of stability of glycosidic bonds in various monosaccharides to reagents used for non-specific selective cleavage. The bibliography includes 58 references.