Synthesis, characterization, and antifungal activity of novel quaternary chitosan derivatives

Three novel quaternary chitosan derivatives were successfully synthesized by reaction of chloracetyl chitosan (CACS) with pyridine (PACS), 4-(5-chloro-2-hydroxybenzylideneamino)-pyridine (CHPACS), and 4-(5-bromo-2-hydroxybenzylideneamino)-pyridine (BHPACS). The chemical structure of the prepared chitosan derivatives was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR) and their antifungal activity against Cladosporium cucumerinum, Monilinia fructicola, Colletotrichum lagenarium, and Fusarium oxysporum was assessed. Comparing with the antifungal activity of chitosan, CACS, and PACS, CHPACS and BHPACS exhibited obviously better inhibitory effects, which should be related to the synergistic reaction of chitosan itself with the grafted 2-[4-(5-chloro-2-hydroxybenzylideneamino)-pyridyl]acetyl and 2-[4-(5-bromo-2-hydroxybenzylideneamino)-pyridyl]acetyl.

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