Deuterium NMR as a structural probe for micelle-associated carbohydrates: D-mannose.

Residual quadrupole splittings for deuterons on perdeuterated alpha- and beta-D-mannose oriented in a potassium laurate liquid crystal have been measured. Multiple quantum two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy at high magnetic field is used to gain sufficient resolution to assign splittings to specific sites within these molecules. The assigned splittings are interpreted in terms of molecular geometries and preferred orientations of the molecules relative to the surface of the potassium laurate micelles that make up the liquid crystalline phase.