Synthesis of Cyclodextrin Derivatives

Abstract

Cyclodextrins are naturally occurring cyclic oligosaccharides, which are non-toxic and biodegradable. The main feature of cyclodextrins is the ability to encapsulate lipophilic compounds, and thus many applications have been developped in various disciplines. Although many cyclodextrin derivatives have become available in the market, their price is in the range of fine chemicals, and thus they are still often synthesised in laboratories. The actual number of cyclodextrin derivatives exceeds 11,000, but new cyclodextrin derivatives are still needed for more advanced applications. Therefore, many newcomers or beginners in cyclodextrin chemistry struggle with a reliable choice of a synthetic route.