Chemical modifications of carboxylated chitosan

C-6-carboxylated chitosan obtained by oxidation of chitosan was selectively modified in order to obtain derivatives similar to bacterial antigens. Selective O-acetylation of 6-carboxyl chitosan afforded a modified polysaccharide with the 2-amino group available for further modifications to create carbonyl groups. A deaminative degradation reaction allowed the formation of oligosaccharides with terminal aldehyde groups. Reductive alkylation with lactose introduced lactityl branches which were oxidized with galactose oxidase to give aldehyde groups in its D-galactose residues. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.