We previously developed low-molecular-weight organogelators that can gel various types of oils by introducing various fatty acids into 1,5-anhydro-d-glucitol (1,5-AG), a cyclic polyol derived from starch. These gelators are composed of ester bonds between naturally occurring materials. We have established a method to synthesize these gelators by heating powdered 1,5-AG and powdered fatty acids to 230 °C to liquefy the compounds without using organic solvents or activated fatty acids and then performing the esterification reaction without a catalyst or with a base catalyst. This has created the possibility of synthesizing these gelling agents at very low cost.
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