Diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy: a versatile tool for the molecular weight determination of uncharged polysaccharides
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Updated: Aug 30, 2026

Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level
Published on: September 26, 2016
Stéphane Viel1, Donatella Capitani, Luisa Mannina
1Istituto di Metodologie Chimiche, CNR, C.P. 10, Via Salaria km. 29.300, I-00016 Monterotondo Stazione, Italy.
Abstract:
Diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy (DOSY) experiments have been carried out on dilute aqueous solutions of uncharged saccharide systems and, in particular, on six well characterized pullulan fractions of different molecular weights. The values of diffusion coefficients and hydrodynamic radii determined for the pullulan fractions are in good agreement with the results obtained with other methodologies such as light scattering. Fitting the diffusion coefficients data as a function of the molecular weight allows for the determination of a calibration curve that can be applied to a wide range of mono-, oligo-, and polysaccharides. Therefore, DOSY is proposed as a versatile tool for achieving a simple estimation of the molecular weight of uncharged polysaccharides. Mixtures of homopolymers of different molecular weight can be nicely separated. An advantage of the method is that the same sample used for the NMR characterization can be used for the molecular weight determination without any further manipulation. Other water soluble polymers, such as poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(vinylpyrrolidone), can be roughly characterized using the same calibration curve.
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