The present work describes a novel and efficient method of synthesis of amphiphilic hyaluronan (HA) by esterification with alkyl fatty acids. These derivatives were synthesized under mild aqueous and well controlled conditions using mixed aliphatic aromatic anhydrides. These anhydrides characterized by the general formula RCOOCOC6H2Cl3 can be easily prepared by the reaction of the corresponding fatty acid (R) with 2,4,6-trichlorobenzoyl chloride (TCBC) in the presence of triethylamine. The aliphatic aromatic anhydrides RCOOCOC6H2Cl3 then react with the polysaccharide and enable the synthesis of aliphatic acid esters of HA in good yields. No hydrolytic degradation of hyaluronic acid could be observed. Parameters controlling the degree of esterification were systematically studied. Fatty acids with different chain lengths can be introduced applying this methodology. The degree of substitution was decreasing with increasing length of hydrophobic chain. The reaction products were fully characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), SEC-MALLS and chromatographic analyses. Although the esterified HA products exhibited aggregation in solution as demonstrated by NMR, microscopy and rheology, they were still water-soluble.

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