GB858440A - Sugar esters - Google Patents

Abstract

Partial esters of mono or di-saccharides are prepared by dissolving said mono or di-saccharides in water, rendering the solution alkaline and introducing a halide of an alkyl carboxylic acid having from 8-22 carbon atoms in the molecule into said solution while maintaining the solution alkaline, and the temperature below 50 DEG C. In a preferred method, the saccharides are dissolved in water in the ratio by weight of 1-0,5 water : 1 saccharide, the solution is made alkaline by adding aqueous alkali metal hydroxides, carbonates or bicarbonates, e.g. in a 50% solution, acid chloride or other halide is then added to the stirred mixture in an amount insufficient to combine with all the hydroxyl groups, preferably in an approximately equimolecular amount in relation to the saccharide, concentrated alkali being added to maintain the pH between 8 and 11 and the temperature being maintained at 40-50 DEG C. When the addition is completed, the mixture is stirred for one to two hours then filtered or centrifuged. The solid reaction product which is a mixture of saccharide esters and soap may be purified by dissolving the esters in an organic solvent in which the soap is insoluble, or by acidifying the product to liberate the fatty acids from the soap and dissolving the acids in a solvent in which the esters are insoluble.