Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 12, 2026

Injectable Supramolecular Polymer-Nanoparticle Hydrogels for Cell and Drug Delivery Applications
Published on: February 7, 2021
Supramolecular hydrogel formation between chitosan and hydroxypropyl β-cyclodextrin via Diels-Alder reaction and its
Mengke Zhang1, Jinpeng Wang1, Zhengyu Jin1
1State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; School of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China; Synergetic Innovation Center of Food Safety and Nutrition, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, China.
Abstract:
Chitosan-cyclodextrin hydrogel (CFCD) was prepared via Diels-Alder reaction between furfural functionalized chitosan (CF) and N-maleoyl alanine functionalized hydroxypropyl β-cyclodextrin (HPCD-AMI) in aqueous media without any catalyst or initiator. The CF and HPCD-AMI were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The resultant CFCD hydrogel was characterized in terms of thermal peripteries, microstructure, rheology behavior, and swelling capacity. The rheology analysis found that the storage modulus G' ranged from 1pa to 1200pa as the degree of furfural substitute on chitosan increased from 2.6% to 28.3%, indicating the hydrogel strength can be tuned readily by reaction stoichiometry. The swelling behaviors proved that CFCD hydrogel was pH-responsive with low swelling capacity, which would be preferable for drug delivery. Drug adsorption analysis showed the introduction of cyclodextrin into CFCD hydrogels promoted drug adsorption capacity. In addition, methyl orange cumulative release in PBS buffer was only 48.85% after 24h, suggesting CFCD hydrogel had good sustained release capacity on the loaded drug.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Diels–Alder vs Retro-Diels–Alder Reaction: Thermodynamic Factors
Diels–Alder Reaction: Characteristics of Dienes
Characteristics of the diene
Conformation
The simplest example of a diene is 1,3-butadiene, an acyclic conjugated π system. At room temperature, the molecule exists as a mixture of s-cis and s-trans conformers by virtue of rotation around the carbon–carbon single bond. Although the s-trans isomer is more stable,...
Diels–Alder Reaction: Characteristics of Dienophiles
Characteristics of Dienophiles
Generally, the best dienophiles are alkenes containing electron-withdrawing substituents such as carbonyl, nitrile, and nitro groups. The feasibility of a Diels–Alder reaction depends...
Diels–Alder Reaction Forming Cyclic Products: Stereochemistry
Diels–Alder Reaction Forming Bridged Bicyclic Products: Stereochemistry
[4+2] Cycloaddition of Conjugated Dienes: Diels–Alder Reaction

