One-pot selective functionalization of polysaccharides with urea

Natural polysaccharides are polymers composed of monosaccharide units bound together by glycosidic linkages. In their native form, these polymers may not be able to provide all the desired properties for a particular application. Thus, the functionalization of their reactive hydroxyl groups would change their surface properties. In this work, we evaluated the derivatization of OH groups of maltodextrin polysaccharide with urea. Through a one-pot selective procedure carried out at room temperature for 3 h, urea united at maltodextrin through covalent bonding was obtained. The results show that after functionalization with urea, the pH and solubility in polar solvents of the new material increased. Derivatization of maltodextrin with urea confers stability, and terminal amide groups on the surface of this material represent a versatile reactive functional group for conjugation with other molecules for potential applications in the development of new materials.