Effect of Polysaccharides on Dehydropolymerization of Coniferyl Alcohol

Abstract

Molecular weights of DHPs of coniferyl alcohol prepared in the presence of beech hemicellulose and pectic acid a little increased as compared with that of DHP prepared in the absence of the polysaccharides. However, the molecular weights of the DHPs were still about a half of that of conifer MWL. The amounts of degradation products and functional groups of the DHPs suggested a general resemblance in the mode of interphenylpropane linkages between the DHPs and conifer MWL. As main differences the DHPs gave higher amounts of coniferyl aldehyde and vanillin in acidolysis and of phenolic hydroxyl- and 6-hydroxybenzyl alcohol groups.