The Master of Science in engineering technology: biochemical engineering is organised in KU Leuven at four geographically dispersed campuses. To sustain the Master's programmes at all campuses, it is clear that a unique education profile at each campus is crucial. In addition, a rationalisation is required by increased cooperation, increased exchange of lecturers, and increased student mobility. To achieve this, a multicampus education system for the M.Sc. in engineering technology: biochemical engineering was developed by offering modules that are also available for students of other campuses. Such a module is primarily based on the research expertise present at the campus. In the development, special attention has been given to the optimal organisation of the modules, evaluation, required modifications of the current curricula, and the practical consequences for students following the module at another campus. Even in the first year of implementation, around 30% of the students followed a multicampus module, which indicates the potential success of the multicampus concept described here.

The synthesis and in vitro biodegradation of poly(ethylene glycol) modified poly[N-2-hydroxyethyl)L-glutamine] are described. Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) with terminal amino endgroup was coupled onto 4-nitrophenyl chloroformate activated poly[N-2-hydroxyethyl-L-glutamineI (PHEG). The influence of the degree of substitution and the molecular weight of PEG side groups on the degradability of the PHEG backbone exposed to isolated rat liver lysosomal enzymes was determined. These data indicate that substitution of PHEG with PEG side-chains only slightly alters the degradability of the carrier. The PEG-grafted polymers showed potential tensioactive properties. DSC analysis demonstrated phase separation of the PEG side-groups in solid state.

Pullulan was modified using three different methods: a) chloroformate activation and subsequent reaction with 2-hydroxypropylamine, b) succinoylation and c) partial periodate oxidation and subsequent reduction of the aldehyde groups. Degradation of pullulan and pullulan derivatives by α-amylase, β-amylase and lysosomal enzymes was investigated. It was observed that the rate of degradation decreased with increasing degree of chemical modification of the parent polysaccharide. The stability of pullulan and dextran was tested in serum and liver homogenate.

Pullulan was selectively functionalized at its reducing terminus via reductive amination of the terminal aldehyde with 2-(4-nitrophenyl)ethylamine. The nitro group serves as a precursor for an amino group which can be converted into a reactive isothiocyanate group. The latter can be coupled with amines.

Macromolecular Rapid CommunicationsVolume 15, Issue 9 p. 697-704 Article Synthesis and characterization of poly(oxyethylene) modified dextrans Katty Hoste, Katty Hoste Department of Organic Chemistry, Biomaterial & Polymer Research Group, University of Gent, Krijgslaan 281, B-9000 Gent, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorDorine Bruneel, Dorine Bruneel Department of Organic Chemistry, Biomaterial & Polymer Research Group, University of Gent, Krijgslaan 281, B-9000 Gent, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorAnne De Marre, Anne De Marre Department of Organic Chemistry, Biomaterial & Polymer Research Group, University of Gent, Krijgslaan 281, B-9000 Gent, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorFrans De Schrijver, Frans De Schrijver Department of Chemistry, Laboratory for Molecular Dynamics and Spectroscopy, Catholic University of Leaven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, B-3001 Heverlee, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorEtienne Schacht, Corresponding Author Etienne Schacht Department of Organic Chemistry, Biomaterial & Polymer Research Group, University of Gent, Krijgslaan 281, B-9000 Gent, BelgiumDepartment of Organic Chemistry, Biomaterial & Polymer Research Group, University of Gent, Krijgslaan 281, B-9000 Gent, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this author Katty Hoste, Katty Hoste Department of Organic Chemistry, Biomaterial & Polymer Research Group, University of Gent, Krijgslaan 281, B-9000 Gent, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorDorine Bruneel, Dorine Bruneel Department of Organic Chemistry, Biomaterial & Polymer Research Group, University of Gent, Krijgslaan 281, B-9000 Gent, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorAnne De Marre, Anne De Marre Department of Organic Chemistry, Biomaterial & Polymer Research Group, University of Gent, Krijgslaan 281, B-9000 Gent, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorFrans De Schrijver, Frans De Schrijver Department of Chemistry, Laboratory for Molecular Dynamics and Spectroscopy, Catholic University of Leaven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, B-3001 Heverlee, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this authorEtienne Schacht, Corresponding Author Etienne Schacht Department of Organic Chemistry, Biomaterial & Polymer Research Group, University of Gent, Krijgslaan 281, B-9000 Gent, BelgiumDepartment of Organic Chemistry, Biomaterial & Polymer Research Group, University of Gent, Krijgslaan 281, B-9000 Gent, BelgiumSearch for more papers by this author First published: September 1994 https://doi.org/10.1002/marc.1994.030150906Citations: 22AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume15, Issue9September 1994Pages 697-704 RelatedInformation

The present paper describes the succinoylation of pullulan by reaction with succinic anhydride in dimethylsulfoxide as solvent and N,N′-dimethylaminopyridine as catalyst. Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis indicated that the carboxylic group is preferably introduced at the C-6 hydroxyl groups. A series of succinoylated pullulan derivatives are prepared with degrees of substitution ranging from 0 to 100%. Activation of the carboxylic groups with N,N′-carbonyldiimidazol and subsequent coupling with amines is discussed.

The present paper describes the periodate oxidation of pullulan. Special attention is paid to the structures and characteristics of the activated products. Pullulan contains three different anhydroglucoside moieties in the repeating unit. Therefore, periodate oxidation of pullulan results in different types of dialdehyde structures. From titrimetric analysis of the formic acid generated during the oxidation of pullulan, the numbers of singly and doubly oxidized anhydroglucoside units can be calculated. The aldehyde content in completely periodate-oxidized pullulan as determined by reaction with hydroxylamine hydrochloride is only 67%. A plausible explanation is the presence of a stable, six-membered hemiacetal. The presence of aldehyde groups with different reactivities is also evidenced by the data collected from reduction experiments and by 13C n.m.r. Finally, the hydrolytic stability of the polysaccharide backbone was studied.

The present paper describes the chloroformate activation of pullulan by reaction with 4-nitrophenyl chloroformate. N.m.r. analysis indicated that the ester formation takes place preferentially at the C6 hydroxy groups of pullulan. It was further demonstrated that activation gives linear carbonates, aliphatic carbonates including cyclic five-membered carbonates, and non-strained aliphatic carbonates. All of these carbonates react with amines to yield the corresponding urethane derivatives. The 4-nitrophenyl chloroformate activation of pullulan is an easy method for obtaining amine-containing pullulan derivatives.

A new technique is proposed in order to assign the substitution sites of pullulan after a reaction. The OH proton resonances of pullulan are identified in DMSO solution, after complete analysis of its proton spectrum using Correlated Spectroscopy (COSY) and Homonuclear Hartmann-Hahn (HOHAHA) experiments.

Dextran derivatives containing primary amino functions were prepared by reacting 4-nitro-phenyl carbonate-substituted dextran with the mono-protected diamine N-tritylenediamine (7). Acidic treatment of the resulting dextran N-[2-(N-trityl)aminoethyl]carbamate (8) yields dextran N-(2-aminoethyl)carbamate (5a). Alternatively, aminodextran derivatives were prepared by adding 4-nitrophenyl carbonate-substituted dextran to a large excess of a diamine or a triamine.