[Preparative approach to mannobiose and laminaribiose (author's transl)]

For synthetic purposes mannobiose is isolated from the polysaccharide mannan of ivory nut flower. The chain length of mannan A is determined to approximately 15 mannose units on average with a definite distribution from 5 to 25 mannose units. Acetolysis is optimized and yields 41% mannobiose. The separation on Sephadex G-15 yields pure mannobiose, and in addition its higher homologues in gram amounts. Detection of the eluates is performed using a differential refractometer. Correspondingly laminaribiose can be obtained from the polysaccharides laminaran (brown algae Laminaria hyperborea) and pachyman (fungus Poria cocos Wolf, Bukuryo) by selectively optimized acetolysis in 30% yield. Depending on the starting material separations are favourably performed on silica gel or on Sephadex G-15. Laminaribiose and its higher homologues are obtained in gram amounts.