Abstract
Pullulan abietic acid esters (pullulan abietates) of different degree of substitution (DS) were synthesized homogeneously in N,N-dimethylacetamide using differently in situactivated abietic acid derivatives. In situ activation was achieved with p-toluenesulfonyl chloride, N,N'-carbonyldiimidazole and iminium chloride formed from oxalyl chloride/N,N-dimethylformamide. The DS values of the biopolymer esters determined by acid-base titration after saponification indicated that in situ activation with p-toluenesulfonyl chloride is most efficient while in case of the in situ activation with N,N'-carbonyldiimidazole almost no polymer degradation occured. The pullulan abietates were characterized by elemental analysis, GPC, FTIR-, H-1- and C-13 NMR spectroscopy.