Structural studies on iron-dextran

Abstract The structure of the acid-hydrolysed and alkali-degraded dextran used in the production of an iron-dextran complex has been determined. The dextran has acidic end-groups and, after purification by fractionation on anion-exchange columns, was found to possess a low molecular weight (2500–6250) and no reducing properties, and to contain an average of one glucometasaccharinic acid residue per dextran chain. The evidence suggests that this acid group occurs at the former “reducing” end-group and protects the dextran against further attack by alkali. Approximately 12% of the original dextran was not degraded by the alkali and remains as an impurity in the acid dextran. In spite of the extensive acid hydrolysis and alkali degradation, the dextran still contained around 5% of α-(1 → 3)- d -glucosidic links.