Thermal Decomposition of Tobacco Cell-wall Polysaccharides

In order to clarify the thermal decomposition mechanism of tobacco cell-wall polysaccharides, some of the primary pyrolysis products were investigated using a Curie-point pyrolysis technique. The major primary products of tobacco cellulose prepared from midribs of Nicotiana tabacum, heated at 460°C for 5 seconds in helium or in vacuum, were such 1,6-anhydrosugars as levoglucosan, 1,6-anhydrob-D-glucofuranose, 1,4,3,6-dianhydro-a-D-glucopyranose and levoglucosenone, and such furan compounds as 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde and 2-furaldehyde. The major primary pyrolysis products of tobacco xylan prepared from stalks of Nicotiana tabacum were 3-hydroxy-2-penteno-1,5-lactone and 2-furaldehyde. Some discussions of the thermal reaction mechanism were presented, based on these results.