The invention comprises compounds, methods of making, and methods of using. The compounds may have a linear or cylic backbone and three or four appended functional groups: one or two lipohilic compounds including sterols or “fat soluble” vitamins, one or two hydrophilic polymer, and one or two carbohydrate. A group of polymer-carbohydrate conjugates having a central backbone and three appended functional groups are disclosed wherein one lipophilic compound is void of both steroid acids. The conjugate may have fatty acids as the primary lipophilic carrier, one hydrophilic polymer, and one carbohydrate. Specific functional groups may be selected for specific applications in formulating pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, nutriceuticals, and the like. Typical coupling reaction of the conjugates may involve one or more or combinations or in series of alkylation including N-alkylation or O-alkylation, etherification, esterification and amidation chemical processes. A variety of linkers between the backbone and functional groups may also be selected to modify the carriers or center backbones for the coupling reactions and optimize performance of the conjugates.
