Solution of sporopollenin and reaggregation of a sporopollenin-like material : A new approach in the sporopollenin research

Summary Exines from Typha angustifolia L. pollen were completely dissolved in 2-aminoethanol if the exine material was isolated and purified by an enzymatic procedure. Acetolysis or treatment of the exine material with H 3 PO 4 before the dissolution process led to insolubility. A reaggregation of the dissolved material was possible when the solvent was removed and H2O added. The initial exine material and the reaggre-gated material were compared by means of staining, fluorescence microscopy, SEM, resistance against acetolysis, DSC, FTIR and 13 C CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy. Both materials showed great similarities with only little differences in the FTIR and 13 C NMR spectra and in the DSC thermograms.