Enzymatic polymerization. III. The influence of a glucosyl accepto, methyl α‐D‐glucoside, on the molecular weight and kinetics of formation of dextran

The presence of the glucosyl acceptor, methyl α‐ D ‐glucoside increases the rate of formation of dextran from sucrose, and partially diverts the reaction from production of polymer of very high molecular weight to production of polymer of very low molecular weight. A mechanism to explain this behavior is proposed. It is suggested that, in the absence of an acceptor, high molecular weight polymer is produced by an enzymatic chain reaction. In the presence of acceptor, a nonchain reaction, producing low molecular weight polymer, competes with the chain reaction. This proposal is formulated in detail, and it is shwon that its predictions are in agreement with the observed behavior of the system.