Kinetics and mechanism of permanganate oxidation of iota- and lambda-carrageenan polysaccharides as sulfated carbohydrates in acid perchlorate solutions

► Elucidation of reaction mechanisms for the oxidation of carrageenans as sulfated polysaccharides by acidic permanganate. ► Novel synthesis of ketoacid derivatives of ICAR and LCAR as biopolymer precursors of wide applications by the oxidation process. ► Behavior of sulfated polysaccharides in aqueous acidic solutions. ► Linear free-energy relationship for oxidation of polysaccharides by acidic permanganate.