The conformational flexibility of methyl α-cellobioside in water and dimethyl sulfoxide solutions was investigated by 1D 1H,H T-ROESY experiments. In combination with molecular dynamics simulations, effective proton−proton distances could be derived using experimentally determined cross-relaxation rates. An anti-ψ-conformational state was present in both solvents confirming a previous flexibility hypothesis at this torsion angle. In water solution, an anti-φ-conformational state was also detected and quantified. These results show that already at the disaccharide level a large flexibility is present at the glycosidic linkage. In addition to the syn-conformation which is present to ∼93% for the title compound in water solution, the minor anti-φ- and anti-ψ-conformational states are populated to ∼2% and ∼5%, respectively.

The three-dimensional structure of a cyclic enterobacterial common antigen (ECA) having four trisaccharide repeating units has been investigated by NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. Three different NMR parameters were determined: (a) (1)H,(1)H cross-relaxation rates from NOE experiments were used for determination of proton-proton distances; (b) trans-glycosidic (3)J(C,H) scalar coupling constants analyzed via a Karplus-type relationship provided information on torsion angles; and (c) (1)H,(13)C one-bond dipolar couplings obtained in a dilute liquid-crystalline medium were interpreted in terms of the orientational order and molecular conformations. The molecular dynamics simulations of the dodecasaccharide were performed with explicit water and counterions, which are important factors that strongly influence molecular conformation. Subsequently, the results from computer simulation were used to generate a three-dimensional structure of the cyclic ECA which is consistent with the experimental NMR parameters.

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