Chemical modification of chitosan 8: preparation of chitosan–dendrimer hybrids via short spacer

Polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers of various generations (G=0.5–5) were prepared from commercial aminoacetaldehyde diethyl acetal. After transforming acetal to aldehyde, chitosan–dendrimer hybrids were prepared by reductive N-alkylation. The reactivity of dendrimer to primary amino group of chitosan was decreased at G=3.5 or above MW>6305. Chitosan–sialodendrimer hybrid (G=3) was also prepared under the same conditions.