4-Nitrophenyl β-D-cellotetraoside

4-Nitrophenyl β-D-cellotetraoside (p-Nitopheyl β-D-cellotetaoside) is a small molecule cellulose mimetic consisting of a tetramer of D-glucose units linked by β-1-4 glycosidic bonds. The fragmentation pattern of 4-Nitrophenyl β-D-cellotetraoside after enzymatic hydrolysis can be analyzed by TLC or by the release of 4-nitrophenol, which has a strong absorbance at 395 nm in alkaline solutions. 4-Nitrophenyl β-D-cellotetraoside can be used in cellulose degradation studies to determine the specificity of cellulases.