Carbohydrates

Abstract

Carbohydrates having functional groups, such as carboxylic acid groups and methods of making such carbohydrates.

1 . A material comprising a plurality of saccharide units arranged in a molecular chain, wherein from about 1 out of every 2 to about 1 out of every 250 saccharide units comprises a carboxylic acid group, or an ester or salt thereof, wherein the number of carboxylic acid groups is determined by titration. 
   
   
       2 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein the material includes a plurality of said molecular chains. 
   
   
       3 . The material of  claim 2 , wherein each chain comprises hemicellulose or cellulose. 
   
   
       4 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein from about 1 out of every 5 to about 1 out of every 250 saccharide units of each chain comprises a carboxylic acid group, or an ester or salt thereof. 
   
   
       5 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein from about 1 out of every 8 to about 1 out of every 100 saccharide units of each chain comprises a carboxylic acid group, or an ester or salt thereof. 
   
   
       6 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein from about 1 out of every 10 to about 1 out of every 50 saccharide units of each chain comprise a carboxylic acid group, or an ester or salt thereof. 
   
   
       7 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein the material comprise a cellulosic or lignocellulosic material. 
   
   
       8 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein the saccharide units comprise 5 or 6 carbon saccharide units. 
   
   
       9 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein each chain has between about 10 and about 200 saccharide units, e.g., between about 10 and about 100 or between about 10 and about 50. 
   
   
       10 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein the average molecular weight of the material relative to PEG standards is from about 1,000 to about 1,000,000, wherein the molecular weight is determined using GPC, utilizing a saturated solution (8.4% by weight) of lithium chloride (LiCl) in dimethyl acetamide (DMAc) as the mobile phase. 
   
   
       11 . The material of  claim 1 , wherein the average molecular weight of the material relative to PEG standards is less than about 10,000. 
   
   
       12 . A method of providing a functionalized carbohydrate, the method comprising:
 treating a base material comprising a carbohydrate comprising a plurality of saccharide units with accelerated particles in an oxidizing environment to provide a functionalized carbohydrate in which from about 1 out of every 2 to about 1 out of every 250 saccharide units comprise a carboxylic acid group.   
   
   
       13 . A method of providing a functionalized carbohydrate, the method comprising:
 treating a base material comprising a carbohydrate comprising a plurality of saccharide units with accelerated particles to provide a functionalized carbohydrate in which from about 1 out of every 5 to about 1 out of every 1500 saccharide units comprise a nitroso, nitro, or nitrile group.   
   
   
       14 . A material comprising a plurality of saccharide units arranged in a molecular chain, wherein from about 1 out of every 5 to about 1 out of every 1500 saccharide units comprises a nitroso, nitro, or nitrile group. 
   
   
       15 . The material of  claim 14 , wherein the material includes a plurality of said molecular chains. 
   
   
       16 . The material of  claim 15 , wherein each chain comprises hemicellulose or cellulose. 
   
   
       17 . The material of  claim 14 , wherein from about 1 out of every 10 to about 1 out of every 1000 saccharide units of each chain comprises a nitroso, nitro, or nitrile group. 
   
   
       18 . The material of  claim 14 , wherein from about 1 out of every 35 to about 1 out of every 750 saccharide units of each chain comprises a nitroso, nitro, or nitrile group. 
   
   
       19 . The material of  claim 14 , wherein the material comprises a mixture of nitrile groups and carboxylic acid groups. 
   
   
       20 . The material of  claim 14 , wherein the material comprises a cellulosic or lignocellulosic material. 
   
   
       21 . The material of  claim 14 , wherein the saccharide units comprise 5 or 6 carbon saccharide units. 
   
   
       22 . The material of  claim 14 , wherein each chain has between about 10 and about 200 saccharide units, e.g., between about 10 and about 100 or between about 10 and about 50. 
   
   
       23 . The material of  claim 14 , wherein the average molecular weight of the material relative to PEG standards is from about 1,000 to about 1,000,000, wherein the molecular weight is determined using GPC, utilizing a saturated solution (8.4% by weight) of lithium chloride (LiCl) in dimethyl acetamide (DMAc) as the mobile phase. 
   
   
       24 . The material of  claim 14 , wherein the average molecular weight of the material relative to PEG standards is less than about 10,000.