Abstract
Completely methylated Cordia roth i i mucilage on hydrolysis has been found to yield
2,3,4,6–tetra–O–methyl – n-galactose (3 moles), 3, 4–di–O–methyl–L–rhamnose (2 moles),
2, 3, 6–tri–O–methyl–n–galactose (1 mole), 2, 3, 4–tri–O–methyl–D–galactose (3 moles),
4–O–methyl–L–rhamnose (3 moles) and 2, 3–di–O–methyl–n–galacturonic acid (6 moles)
along with traces of unmethylated D–galactose and mono–O–methylgalacturonic acid.
Periodate oxidation of the mucilage results in the uptake of 3.65 moles of periodate
and the liberation of 1.21 moles of formic acid per equivalent of the mucilage. Based
on these results and earlier findings, a possible structur (B) for the repeating unit
of the mucilage has been proposed.
