The reaction of oxyamylose with o‐phenylenediamine (OPD) in alkaline media produces quinoxalines which can be followed by polarographic method and the dialdehyde content can easily be determined polarographically. The lower limit of the determination of dialdehyde content may be 0.01 in the ratio of NaIO4/AGU.
Quinoxalines produced from oxyamylose were studied chromatographically and spectrophotometrically and compared with those from D‐glucose. Three quinoxalines were identified with quinoxaline, 2‐methylquinoxaline and 2‐hydroxyethylquinoxaline.
Mechanism of the reaction of oxyamylose with OPD is discussed.