A Novel Method for Preparation of Carboxymethyl Chitosan by Microwave Irradiation

摘要

A novel method for the synthesis of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) has been adopted in the present investigation by the use of microwave irradiation. Carboxymethylation of chitosan, a renewable natural resource, has been carried out in an alkaline medium by using monochloroacetic acid. The effect of various parameters such as amount of chitosan, monochloroacetic acid, microwave power and temperature has been studied. Microwave irradiation increases the reaction speed and also results in high yield. Prepared carboxymethyl chitosan is highly soluble in water whereas chitosan is insoluble in neutral water. This water solubility property enhances the biological application of carboxymethyl chitosan. The obtained carboxymethyl chitosan is characterized by FTIR, NMR and TG analysis. Due to its wide range of solubility, carboxymethyl chitosan is extensively used in drμg delivery systems.