Patent ID: 6417171
Filing Date: 2002-07-09
Classification: C08B

Abstract:
A process for derivation a water-soluble polymer, comprising the steps of:preparing an aqueous solution comprising the water-soluble polymer and one of an activating agent and a derivation agent, wherein the polymer comprises at least one nucleophilic group selected from the group consisting of a carboxyl group and a hydroxyl group, and wherein the activating agent is a carbodiimide and the derivation agent is a hydrazide; preparing a non-aqueous phase comprising one of said activating agent and said derivation agent such that said derivation agent and said activating agent are in different phases; and mixing said aqueous and non-aqueous phases under conditions of extreme mechanical agitation in order to maintain the non-aqueous phase in an emulsified state within the aqueous polymer solution such that the activating agent activates said polymer and thereby facilitates chemical attachment of the derivation agent such that at least one of polymer activation and derivatization occur at the interface between the bulk aqueous phase and the dispersed non-aqueous phase.