Studies on Chitin V. The Action of Mineral Acids on Chitin

Chitin undergoes rapid and extensive degradation at 20°C when dissolved in ION hydrochloric acid, 21N sulphuric acid, or 85% phosphoric acid. Most of the degradation occurs in the first few minutes after the chitin is dissolved and the products formed are oligosaccharides (which are to some extent deacetylated) and N·acetyl-D.glucosamine. Glucosamine was not found except possibly in the smallest traces. "Colloidal" chitin, prepared by precipitation of chitin from solution in cold 21N sulphuric acid, has a very much shorter chain length than the chitin from which it was prepared. Chitin is more stable in dilute (2N) hydrochloric acid.