Solvent-free synthesis of modified pectin compounds promoted by microwave irradiation.

Microwave-assisted solvent-free modification of pectin was successfully accomplished, consisting in the esterification of several fatty acids by pectin alcoholic functions. The reaction was performed by simply mixing the reagents with a catalytic amount of the inorganic base (potassium carbonate) and irradiating the obtained mixture with microwaves for a short time (3-6 min). The replacement of the traditional heating with a microwave source allowed the development of a new synthetic protocol which provided increased yield of the final products, since it eliminates the small amount of degraded polysaccharide produced during traditional oil bath heating. The desired esters were fully characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis.