Improved protocol for the formation of N-(p-nitrobenzyloxy)aminoalditol derivatives of oligosaccharides

An improved procedure has been developed for the rapid derivatization of oligosaccharides with UV-detectable p-nitrobenzylhydroxylamine (PNB). The improved conditions used result in quantitative derivatization of neutral oligosaccharides. Sialylated oligosaccharides can also be quantitatively PNB-derivatized without detectable desialylation. Of the oligosaccharides tested, only the derivatization of oligogalactosyluronic acids was incomplete (yield ∼ 70%). PNB-derivatization of tamarind seed xyloglucan oligosacccharides results in products with improved chromatographic properties during HPAEC. These PNB derivatives were also subjected to hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) and analyzed by on-line LC-MS. On-line LC-MS is readily usable with HILIC, as this chromatographic technique does not require salt-containing solvents. Approximately 10 pmol of a PNB-derivatized oligosaccharide can be identified and quantitated utilizing this method.