Highly efficient synthesis and antioxidant activity of O-(aminoethyl)inulin

O-(aminoethyl)inulin was prepared from inulin using ethylene imine, a kind of significant building block of chemical modification. The preparation of the O-(aminoethyl)inulin was studied in such catalytic systems as: water (H2O)/sodium hydroxide (NaOH), N-methylpyrrolidinone (NMP)/triethylamine (Et3N) and benzene/anhydrous alchlor (AlCl3). Each of these systems was evaluated in terms of reaction yield rate and degree of substitute. Of all the reaction systems, the H2O/NaOH method turned out to be the most recommended means for the preparation of the O-(aminoethyl)inulin with a yield rate 82% and 0.76 degree of substitute. Additionally, the antioxidant effects of inulin and its related derivatives of different degree of substitute were investigated in two model systems. Comparing with inulin, modified inulin exhibited a moderate hydroxyl radical scavenging ability and considerable superoxide-radical scavenging activity. And this may suggest their potential employment as a prohibitor of the superoxide-radical. The synthesized derivatives were characterized by 1HNMR and FT-IR spectra.