Reaction of cyclodextrins with propylene oxide or with glycidol: analysis of product distribution

Reaction of cyclomalto-hexaose, -heptaose, or -octaose with propylene oxide in strong aqueous alkali gave products in which distribution of the degrees of substitution was relatively narrow and nearly symmetrical, and increased with the average degree of substitution. When an equimolar mixture of cyclomalto-hexaose, heptaose, or -octaose was used, the average degrees of substitution of all three carbohydrates were close to each other. These findings indicate that the reactivities of the hydroxyl groups of cyclomalto-hexaose, -heptaose, or -octaose, and of all their (2-hydroxypropyl) ethers formed in the reactions, are quite similar. Reaction of cyclomaltoheptaose with glycidol also yielded a product having a narrow distribution of degree of substitution, but which was slightly skewed towards the higher degrees. Thus, as it proceeds, this etherification leads to products having higher reactivity towards the epoxide.