PREPARATION OF POLY ALPHA-1,3-GLUCAN ETHERS

• US 20140179913A1
• Filed: 12/16/2013
• Published: 06/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nutrition & Biosciences USA 4, Inc. (International Flavors & Fragrances Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (Corteva, Inc.)
• Inventors: Perticone, Andrea M., Kasat, Rahul B., PAULLIN, JAYME L., Dennes, T Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 9,139,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 536/120
• CPC Class Codes: C08B 37/0009 alpha-D-Glucans, e.g. polydextrose, alternan, glycogen; (alpha-1,4)(alpha-1,6)-D-Glucans; (alpha-1,3)(alpha-1,4)-D-Glucans, e.g. isolichenan or nigeran; (alpha-1,4)-D-Glucans; (alpha-1,3)-D-Glucans, e.g. pseudonigeran; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 5/00 Compositions of polysaccharides or of their derivatives not provided for in groups C08L1/00 or C08L3/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/04 Polysaccharides, i.e. compounds containing more than five saccharide radicals attached to each other by glycosidic bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/18 produced by the action of a glycosyl transferase, e.g. alpha-, beta- or gamma-cyclodextrins

Abstract

Poly alpha-1,3-glucan ether compounds are disclosed herein with a degree of substitution of about 0.05 to about 3.0. Also disclosed are methods of producing poly alpha-1,3-glucan ether compounds.

Claims

1. A composition comprising a poly alpha-1,3-glucan ether compound represented by the structure:

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein said organic group is a hydroxy alkyl group, alkyl group, or carboxy alkyl group, and wherein the compound contains one type of said organic group, or two or more types of said organic group.

3. The composition of claim 2, wherein said organic group is a hydroxypropyl, dihydroxypropyl, hydroxyethyl, methyl, ethyl, or carboxymethyl group.

4. The composition of claim 2, wherein the compound contains one type of said organic group.

5. The composition of claim 2, wherein the compound contains two or more types of said organic group.

6. The composition of claim 1, wherein the degree of substitution is about 0.2 to about 2.0.

7. A method of producing a poly alpha-1,3-glucan ether compound, the method comprising:

(a) contacting poly alpha-1,3-glucan in a reaction under alkaline conditions with at least one etherification agent comprising an organic group, wherein the etherification agent is etherified to the poly alpha-1,3-glucan thereby producing a poly alpha-1,3-glucan ether compound represented by the structure;

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said alkaline conditions comprise an alkali hydroxide solution.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the reaction comprises an organic solvent.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the organic solvent is isopropanol.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein step (a) further comprises:

(i) heating the reaction; and

/or

(ii) neutralizing the pH of the reaction.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said organic group is a hydroxy alkyl group, alkyl group, or carboxy alkyl group, and wherein the compound contains one type of said organic group, or two or more types of said organic group.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the poly alpha-1,3-glucan is in a form of a slurry.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the slurry comprises poly alpha-1,3-glucan, sucrose, glucose, fructose and a glucosyltransferase enzyme.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the poly alpha-1,3-glucan is in a form of a wet cake.