The invention provides a method for preparing sulphoalkyl ether-β-cyclodextrin. The method comprises first contacting cyclodextrin with a base to form activated cyclodextrin. The method then comprises separately contacting the activated cyclodextrin with an alkyl sultone to form sulphoalkyl ether-β-cyclodextrin. The activation reaction is carried in batch and the sulphoalkylation reaction is carried out under continuous flow conditions.

This invention relates to an improved process for the synthesis of Sugammadex or a salt thereof, to Sugammadex or a salt thereof having high purity as obtained by said process and to pharmaceutical compositions comprising said high purity Sugammadex or a salt thereof.

The present invention includes a hydrogel and a method of making a porous hydrogel by preparing an aqueous mixture of an uncrosslinked polymer and a crystallizable molecule; casting the mixture into a vessel; allowing the cast mixture to dry to form an amorphous hydrogel film; seeding the cast mixture with a seed crystal of the crystallizable molecule; growing the crystallizable molecule into a crystal structure within the uncrosslinked polymer; crosslinking the polymer around the crystal structure under conditions in which the crystal structure within the crosslinked polymer is maintained; and dissolving the crystals within the crosslinked polymer to form the porous hydrogel.

The present invention relates to a method of synthesising sulforaphane by reacting a compound of formula (A) with an oxidizing agent in an aqueous solvent and in the presence of a catalyst. The invention further provides a method of synthesising a stabilised complex of sulforaphane and cyclodextrin by mixing the sulforaphane prepared by the methodology defined herein with cyclodextrin in an aqueous solvent.

The invention relates to a novel methylated cyclodextrin and to a novel method used for the production thereof. The invention also relates to the use of said methylated cyclodextrin for the solubilisation of lipophilic compounds, or carriers of at least one lipophilic group. The invention further relates to a composition comprising said methylated cyclodextrin, particularly a pharmaceutical composition.

The invention relates a process for preparing a cross-linked starch-based polymer comprising the following steps: 1) dissolving a starchy material in a suitable solvent to form a starchy material solution; and 2) adding a episulfide of formula (I), wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are independently selected from hydrogen and (C.sub.1-C.sub.3)alkyl in the starchy material solution in order to obtain the disulfide crosslinked starch-based polymer. In another aspect the invention concerns a disulfide-cross-linked starch-based polymer obtainable by the process of the invention, that is characterized by only disulfide bridges.

The present invention provides a polyrotaxane having high durability and in particular, high hydrolysis resistance, and a method for producing said polyrotaxane. The present invention provides a polyrotaxane obtained by disposing blocking groups on both ends of a pseudopolyrotaxane so that an annular molecule cannot be displaced, said pseudopolyrotaxane being obtained by forming a clathrate by piercing the opening of the cyclic molecule with a linear molecule, said polyrotaxane being characterized in that the cyclic molecule has a substituent represented by formula I (in formula I, R.sub.1 represents a group such as —CH.sub.3 and —CH.sub.2—CH.sub.3, R.sub.2 represents H or a group such as —CH.sub.3, and n is the apparent degree of polymerization of a polyalkylene oxide chain or a derivative thereof added to the cyclic molecule, the value of n being 1.1 to 10.0).

The present invention relates to a novel hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) and also to a novel process that is of use for producing same. The invention also relates to the use of this HPβCD as an excipient. The invention also relates to an HPβCD for use thereof as a medicament, and more particularly for the treatment or prevention of diseases or conditions related to cholesterol overload and/or storage and/or accumulation in the tissues, and also the consequences thereof, such as certain central nervous system or cardiovascular system ailments.

The present invention provides a production method for pseudo-polyrotaxane or polyrotaxane in which the degree of ring-shaped molecules included on straight-chain molecules, that is, the inclusion rate, has been controlled to be low and stable. The present invention provides a production method for polyrotaxane formed by blocking groups being positioned at both ends of a pseudo-polyrotaxane so ring-shaped molecules are not released, said pseudo-polyrotaxane being formed by ring-shaped molecules skewered through openings thereof by straight-chain molecules, wherein polyrotaxane is obtained by means of said method having: (A) a step for preparing straight-chain molecules which have acidic or basic functional groups on both ends; (B) a step for forming pseudo-polyrotaxane by means of having a step for mixing the straight-chain molecules, the ring-shaped molecules, and a first basic group or an acid addition salt (the acid addition salt is used when the straight-chain molecules have the acidic functional groups; a base addition salt is used when the straight-chain molecules have the basic functional groups); and (C) a step for providing blocking groups on both ends of the straight-chain molecules by means of having a step for mixing the obtained pseudo-polyrotaxane and a blocking group precursor.

An electrophotographic photosensitive member, which is suppressed in occurrence of fogging and is excellent in abrasion resistance. In the electrophotographic photosensitive member, an outermost surface layer of the electrophotographic photosensitive member comprises a polymerized product of a composition comprising at least a polyrotaxane and a monomer having a polymerizable reactive group, and a chain molecule of the polyrotaxane has two blocking groups at both terminals thereof, and a (meth)acryloyloxy group of a cyclic molecule of the polyrotaxane forms a bond.