X-Ray Diffraction Study of Glucomannans and Their Acetates

Abstract

Crystalline polymorphs of four glucomannans with a different mannose/glucose ratio from 1.5 to 4.0 and their acetyl derivatives was studied by X-ray diffraction measurements. The glucomannans showed an amorphous or similar crystal structure (Mannan I or Mannan II polymorph) of β-1,4-d-mannan depending on their mannose content, indicating the occurrence of isomorphous replacement of mannose by glucose during glucomannan crystallization. When these glucomannans were annealed, however, Konjac glucomannan (mannose/glucose ratio = 1.6) showed a different powder pattern from both Mannans I and II. The fiber pattern of the annealed Konjac glucomannan indicated that it took an extended two-fold helical structure. Among the acetylated glucomannans, Higanbana glucomannan with a high mannose content (mannose/glucose = 4.0) showed a similar diffraction pattern to that of β-1,4-d-mannan triacetate, indicating that the isomorphous replacement also occurred in the acetyl derivative. However, glucomannan triacetate with a low mannose content (1.5 or 1.6) showed a different crystalline form from that of mannan triacetate. The fiber diffraction pattern of Konjac glucomannan acetate suggested that it took a three-fold helix.