Polysaccharides comprising carboxyl functional groups substituted by a hydrophobic alcohol derivative

A polysaccharide comprising carboxyl functional groups, one at least of which is substituted by a derivative of a hydrophobic alcohol, denoted HA:

• said alcohol (HA) being grafted or bonded to the anionic polysaccharide via a coupling arm R, said coupling arm being bonded to the anionic polysaccharide via a function F, said function F resulting from the coupling between the amine function of the connecting arm R and a carboxyl function of the anionic polysaccharide, and said coupling arm being bonded to the hydrophobic alcohol via a function G resulting from the coupling between a carboxyl, isocyanate, thioacid or alcohol function of the coupling arm and a function of the hydrophobic alcohol, the unsubstituted carboxyl functions of the anionic polysaccharide being in the cationic carboxylate form, the cation preferably being that of an alkali metal, such as Na+ or K+,
• F being an amide function,
• G being either an ester, thioester, carbonate or carbamate function,
• R being a chain comprising between 1 and 18 carbons which is optionally branched and/or unsaturated, which optionally comprises one or more heteroatoms, such as O, N and/or S, and which has at least one acid function,
• HA being a residue of a hydrophobic alcohol, the product of the coupling between the hydroxyl function of the hydrophobic alcohol and at least one electrophilic function carried by the group R,
• said polysaccharide comprising carboxyl functional groups being amphiphilic at neutral pH.