Modification of chitosan with monomethyl fumaric acid in an ionic liquid solution

Antibacterial and antioxidant monomethyl fumaric acid (MFA) was selected to modify chitosan, using aqueous solution of an ionic liquid as a homogeneous and green reaction media. The chemical structures of resulting polymers were systematically characterized by (1)H NMR, diffusion ordered spectroscopy, solid (13)C NMR and wide-angle X-ray diffraction. The results show that two kinds of MFA modified chitosan materials with totally different chemical structures have been synthesized. One product was a MF-chitosan salt composed of chitosan cation and MFA anion, which was obtained with the mediation of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) and N-hydroxysuccinimide. The other one synthesized with the mediation of EDC was a MF-chitosan amide in which MFA and chitosan are covalently attached. Solubility of chitosan has been improved, and MF-chitosan salt can be readily dissolved in water. The antioxidant activity has been enhanced with the introduction of MFA, irrespective of the chemical structure.