In amylopectin, α-D-glucose units are joined by ________ glycosidic linkage.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → C1–C6 and C1-C4
Amylopectin is a branched polymer of α-D-glucose, so it has both kinds of glycosidic linkage; amylose is unbranched, with C1–C4 linkages only.
So in amylopectin the α-D-glucose units are joined by both C1–C4 and C1–C6 glycosidic linkages.
Why the other options are incorrect
Option (1) C1–C2 — Incorrect. This kind of linkage joins C1 of α-D-glucose to C2 of β-D-fructose in sucrose. It is not present in starch.
Option (3) C2–C4 — Incorrect. A glycosidic linkage always involves C1, the anomeric carbon of glucose, so a C2–C4 linkage is not possible.
Option (4) C1–C4 — Incorrect. This alone describes amylose. Amylopectin also has \( \ce{C1-C6} \) linkages at its branch points.
NCERT (2026-27 edition):
Polysaccharides – …
