Water‐Soluble <i>N</i>‐(<i>n</i>‐Fatty acyl)chitosans

Abstract

Abstract Chitosan was partially N ‐acylated by treatment with n ‐fatty acid anhydrides in a homogeneous solution in 2 vol.‐% aqueous acetic acid‐methanol (1:2 v/v). The degree of substitution (d.s.) for N ‐acyl groups in the water‐soluble N ‐acylchitosan derivatives was in the range of 0.42–0.82 for N ‐acetyl, 0.37–0.76 for N ‐propionyl, 0.52–0.71 for N ‐butyryl and 0.54–0.64 for N ‐pentanoyl and ca. 0.58 for N ‐hexanoyl, respectively. Water soluble N ‐( n ‐fatty acyl)chitosans. magnified image Water soluble N ‐( n ‐fatty acyl)chitosans.