Uses
D-Fucose is a hexose deoxy sugar found on N-linked glycans that appears on the cell surface of mammalian and plant cells. D-Fucose is also the building block of fucoidan polysaccharide, an sulfated polysaccharide found in various species of brown algae.
Purification Methods
Crystallise D(+)-fucose from EtOH or 95% EtOH. Its 1,2:3,4-diisopropylidene derivative has b 83-84o/0.45mm and crystallises on seeding with m 37o and[]19 -52o (melt). [Schmidt Methods in Carbohydrate Chemistry I 191 1962, Academic Press, Haskett et al. J Am Chem Soc 61 1658 1939, Beilstein 31 H 76, 1 IV 4265.]