Process for producing dextran derivatives and products resulting therefrom

Claim 1

THE PROCESS, WHICH COMPRISES REACTING AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF 10 TO 70% BY WEIGHT OF A HYDROXYL GROUPCONTAINING DEXTRAN SUBSTANCE WITH A BIFUNCTIONAL ORGANIC SUBSTANCE CAPABLE OF REACTING WITH THE HYDROXYL GROUPS OF THE DEXTRAN SUBSTANCE, IN THE RATIO OF AT LEAST 10 MOLECULES OF THE BIFUNCTIONAL SUBSTANCE PER MOLECULE OF THE DEXTRAN SUBSTANCE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN ALKALINE REACTING SUBSTANCE AS CATALYST, THE SAID BIFUNCTIONAL ORGANIC SUBTANCE BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF EPICHLOROHYDRIN, DICHLOROHYDRIN, DIEPOXYBUTANE, BIS-EPOXYPROPLY ETHER, ETHYLENEGLYCOL-BIS-EPOXYPROPYL ETHER AND 1,4-BUTANE-DIOL-BIS-EPOXYPROPYL ETHER, CARRYING OUT THE REACTION AT A TEMPERATURE BETWEEN ABOUT 15*C. AND ABOUT 90*C. AND THEREBY FORMING A GEL, SUBJECTING SAID GEL TO HEAT TREATMENT AT AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE NOT EXCEEDING 90*C., AND RECOVERING THE RESULTANT GEL PRODUCT.