Synthesis of metal-containing carbohydrate polymers employing crown ether phase transfer catalyzed interfacial condensation

Phase transfer catalyzed interfacial reaction of the polysaccharide dextran (C₆H₁₀O₅)_n with organotitanium and organotin dichlorides to form metal-containing carbohydrate polymers has been carried out in the presence of two bases, sodium hydroxide and triethylamine. Interfacial systems employing sodium hydroxide with a crown ether phase transfer catalyst (PTC) gave generally greater yields compared with the analogous systems without a PTC. The trend of maximum yield for triethylamine systems with organotin dichloride not containing a PTC was different from that observed for the sodium hydroxide systems without a PTC, probably because of the ability of triethylamine to act as a PTC.