FT-IR study of plant cell wall model compounds: pectic polysaccharides and hemicelluloses

Pectic polysaccharides and hemicelluloses extracted from plants were studied in highly hydrated films on BaF2 discs. Distinctive absorption band maxima in the mid-infrared region at 1200–800 cm−1 were shown to be useful for the identification of polysaccharides with different structure and composition. Two series of the hexopyranose and pentopyranose monosaccharides, which are the structural units of the plant cell wall polysaccharides, were also studied by FT-IR spectroscopy in solution (i.e. comparable to the amorphous state of the polymers). Their spectral data showed that the main IR band positions are influenced by the relative position of axial and equatorial (OH) groups on the pyranoid ring.