The tetraacetyl derivative is purified by silica gel column chromatography and eluted with a *C6H6/Me2CO gradient (up to 5% of Me2CO) and recrystallises from n-hexane as colourless needles m 72-74o (Erbing & Lindberg Acta Chem Scand B30 611 1976 gave m 69-70o). Hydrolysis with an equivalent of base in methanol gives the desired glucoside. This is a non-ionic detergent for reconstituting membrane proteins and has a critical micelle concentration of 30 mM. [Shimamoto et al. J Biochem (Tokyo) 97 1807 1985; Saito & Tsuchiya Chem Pharm Bull Jpn 33 503 1985].
