Large cyclodextrins

The existence of large cyclodextrins, cyclic alpha-D-(1 --> 4) glucans with a degree of polymerisation higher than eight, has been proven during the past decade. A number of 4-alpha-glucanotransferases have been shown to be able to produce large cyclodextrins consisting of up to several hundred glycosyl units, from both amylose and amylopectin. Large cyclodextrins with degree of polymerisation up to 31 have been isolated to purity by use of elaborate purification schemes, enabling studies of their structural and complex forming properties. The solid state structures of the large cyclodextrins with a degree of polymerisation 10, 14 and 26, respectively, have revealed interesting new structural features of this family of molecules. This review summarises the studies of the large cyclodextrins, a varied and highly interesting group of molecules.