Abstract: | A differentiation between free carboxyl and various lactone groups in different types of oxycelluloses was carried out based on the variation in their reaction rate with KI/KIO3 solution. For oxycelluloses prepared under acidic conditions, a large proportion of carboxyl groups are present in free form. Each oxycellulose was also studied after cation freeing as well as after blocking the free carboxyl groups by treatment with sodium chloride. Cation freeing was found to cause considerable lactonization of carboxyl groups; sodium chloride treatment blocked them only partially. |