This study demonstrates the utilization of a flow chemistry system for continuous glycan hydrolysis and saccharide labeling to assist with the existing methods in glycan structural analysis. Acidic hydrolysis of glycans could be accelerated in a flow system. Aldoses and α-ketoacid-type saccharides were effectively labeled with naphthalene-2,3-diamine (NADA) at 60 °C for 10 min to form the fluorescent naphthimidazole (NAIM) and quinoxalinone (QXO) derivatives, respectively. The NADA-labeled derivatives improved the structural determination and composition analysis for their parent saccharides by using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS), liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Furthermore, this protocol was applied to determine the SA–Gal–Glc sequence of GM3-sugar out of six possible permutations.

本研究展示了利用流动化学系统进行连续聚糖水解和糖标记，以协助现有的聚糖结构分析方法。在流动系统中可以加速聚糖的酸性水解。醛糖和α-酮酸型糖类在60°C下用萘-2,3-二胺（NADA）有效标记10分钟，分别形成荧光萘咪唑（NAIM）和喹喔啉酮（QXO）衍生物。NADA 标记的衍生物通过使用基质辅助激光解吸电离飞行时间质谱 (MALDI-TOF-MS)、液相色谱质谱 (LC-MS) 和核磁共振（NMR）。此外，