Polysaccharides of Soybean Seeds

Methylation of hot-water-extract fraction of soybean seed polysaccharides by the Haworth's method and then by the Purdie's method followed by fractional extraction afforded a fully methylated arabinogalactan which gave on complete hydrolysis 2, 3, 5-tri-, and 2, 3-di-O-methyl L-arabinose and 2, 3, 6-tri-, and 2, 6-di-O-methyl D-galactose in the approximate proportion of 1:1:3_??_4:1, and on controlled acid methanolysis 2, 3, 5-tri-, and 2, 3-di-O-methyl L-arabinose in about equal proportion. Residual undegraded poly-saccharide gave mainly 2, 3, 6-tri-O-methyl D-galactose on remethylation and hydrolysis.