Controlled methyl-esterification of pectin catalyzed by cation exchange resin

Published Date

10 February 2016, Vol.137:650–656, doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2015.11.005

Title 

Controlled methyl-esterification of pectin catalyzed by cation exchange resin

• Author 

• Xiaoxia Peng
• Guang Yang
• Xingchen Fan
• Yeming Bai
• Xiaomeng Ren
• Yifa Zhou ^,

• Jilin Province Key Laboratory on Chemistry and Biology of Natural Drugs in Changbai Mountain, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, PR China

Received 4 June 2015. Revised 2 November 2015. Accepted 3 November 2015. Available online 11 November 2015.

Highlights

• •
  A new method is developed using cation exchange resin to methyl-esterify pectin.
• •
  The method can product high DE of HG and RG-I pectin without destroying structures.
• •
  Pectins with varying DE can be prepared by controlling the reaction conditions.

Abstract

This study developed a new method to methyl-esterify pectin using a cation exchange resin. Homogalacturonan (HG)-type pectin (WGPA-3-HG) and rhamnogalacturonan (RG)-I-type pectin (AHP-RG) obtained from the roots of Panax ginseng and sunflower heads, respectively, were used as models. Compared to commonly used methyl-esterification methods that use either methyl iodide or acidified methanol, the developed method can methyl-esterify both HG- and RG-I-type pectins without degrading their structures via β-elimination or acid hydrolysis. In addition, by modifying reaction conditions, including the mass ratio of resin to pectin, reaction time, and temperature, the degree of esterification can be controlled. Moreover, the resin and methanol can be recycled to conserve resources, lower costs, and reduce environmental pollution. This new methodology will be highly useful for industrial esterification of pectin.

Keywords

• Pectin
• Methyl-esterification
• Cation exchange resin
• Degree of esterification

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• ⁎ 
  Corresponding author.

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