N-acylchitosan gel preparation of partially and heterogeneously N-acylated chitosans.

Abstract

A series of partially and heterogeneously N-acylated chitosans was prepared and isolated in 50_??_100% yields. The structure of N-acyl groups influenced the gelation. The minimum requirement for the gelation was defined as ca. 0.4 N-lauroyl (C12), ca. 0.6 N-fatty acyl (C3-C10) or ca. 0.7 N-benzoyl groups per hexosaminide residue. However, the gelation did not occur with N-high fatty acyl (C14-C18) groups.