Chitin carbamates

Carbamate derivatives (Table 1) of cellulose, chitin, amylose, amylopectin, and dextran were prepared using the isocyanates described in Part A of the Experimental Section. Amylose, amylopectin, dextran, and cellulose were obtained from Polysciences, Inc. and used without further purification. Chitin, obtained from Eastman Kodak, was decalcified and deproteinated by the method reported by Haye r prior to use. 

Preweighed 1.0 mg samples of each polysaccharide carbamate derivative were submerged in aqueous solutions at three pH values 3.1 7.0 and 11.3. Three milliliter aliquots were withdrawn at periodic intervals and analyzed by ultraviolet spectroscopy. Typical results are shown in Figures 3 and 4 for pendant hydrolysis rates of carbamate derivatives of cellulose and chitin respectively as a function of pH. 

Table I lists physical data for a number of the carbamate and ester derivatives of cellulose, chitin, amylose, amylopectin, and dextran synthesized as described in the Experimental Section. The solubility of the polysaccharide starting materials as well as that of the produced derivatives allows for macromolecular characterization through techniques including UV, NMR, IR, high pressure liquid chromatography, etc.

Derivatives (Table I) formed by the reaction of the chosen polysaccharide with an isocyanate or acid chloride are carbamates and esters respectively. However, chitin or poly[(1+4)(N-acetyl-2-amino-2-deoxy-f3-glucopyranose)] actually used in this experiment contains approximately 16% free amine groups which can form urea and amide derivatives with the above reagents. 

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate typical rates of hydrolysis for carbamate derivatives of cellulose and chitin. The rates of release at a pH value 11.3 were considerably higher in both systems than at pH values of 3.1 and 7.0. After seven days in the basic medium the cellulose derivative had delivered 27.3 percent of the available aniline. In the acidic medium and neutral medium 15.6 and 10.6 percent were delivered. After seven days the chitin derivative delivered 27.7, 10.0, and 9.5 percent of the available p-methylaniline in the basic, acidic, and neutral media, respectively.

TABLE 2. Resolution of 2-arylpropionic acids on chitin carbamates... 

Analogues 249 (X = H, OH) of UDP-GlcNAc have been prepared as potential inhibitors of chitin synthetases. The synthetic route involved a C-allyl derivative of GlcNAc, which was elaborated by ozonolysis, Wittig reaction and coupling with the nucleoside, followed by hydrogenation or hydroxylation as appropriate. The corresponding amides were also prepared from 5 -amino-5 -deoxyuridine. Lipophilic amino acid methyl esters and methylamides have been coupled to 0-5 of AZT by carbamate links. The products showed anti-HIV activity, but this was not due to carbamate hydrolysis or to direct inhibition of reverse transcriptase, and the mechanism of action may be one not previously observed with nucleoside antivirals. ... 

---