Infrared Spectroscopic Characterization of Some Synthetic Glycosides with Chromogenic Groups for Detection of Exo-Glycosidase Activity

A relevant aspect of carbohydrate analysis is the characterization of a helpful group of organic substrates widely used as target molecules to evaluate exo-glycosidase activities. Synthetic glycosides with chromogenic groups are relevant due to the facility and quickness to use them as a source of substrates. These can then be detected by rapid and straightforward colorimetric methods, employing just a piece of spectrophotometer equipment. The main characteristic of these organic substrates is the presence of an enzyme-hydrolyzable bond between a monosaccharide and aromatic heterocycle rings or phenyl rings with an o- or p-nitro activating substitution. These organic substrates are analytically convenient for the evaluation of the hydrolytic enzymes such as a-glucosidase, β-glucosidase, β-galactosidase, and β-arabinofuranosidase. Given the importance of carbohydrate chemistry, these organic substrates have been analyzed using the vibrational technique attenuated total reflection (ATR)-Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.