Use of Cellulose Ethers as Intermediates

Uses. May occur as an intermediate in the production of chlorinated ethylenes formerly used as a solvent for cellulose ethers, resins, and gums, for dry cleaning, coal purification, as a soil sterilizing agent, and as a chemical intermediate in the production of dichloroacetic acid... 

Uses The alicyclic hydrocarbons have numerous industrial applications. Cyclopropane (C3H6) is used as an anesthetic. Cyclohexane (CgH ) is used as a chemical intermediate as an organic solvent for oils, fats, waxes, and resins and for the extraction of essential oils in perfume manufacturing industries. Cyclohexene (C6H10) is used in the manufacture of maleic acid, cyclohexane carboxylic acid, and adipic acid. Methyl cyclohexane (C7H14) is used for the production of organic synthetics such as cellulose ethers. These compounds are used in different industries such as adipic acid makers, benzene makers, fat processors, fungicide makers, lacquerers, nylon makers, oil processors, paint removers, plastic molders, resin makers, rubber makers, varnish removers, and wax makers. 

Epoxides - Organic compounds containing three-membered cyclic group(s) in which two carbon atoms are linked with an oxygen atom as in an ether. This group is called an epoxy group and is quite reactive, allowing the use of epoxides as intermediates in preparation of certain fluorocarbons and cellulose derivatives and as monomers in preparation of epoxy resins. 

OTHER COMMENTS used as a solvent for cellulose ethers and esters, dyes, and natural resins used in the manufacturing of phenolic resins and dark-colored thermosetting resins chemical intermediate for tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol also used in the manufacture of wetting agents, furan polymers, corrosive resistant sealants and cements useful as a liquid propellant. 

The most prominent cellulose ester produced on the industrial scale is cellulose acetate. The reaction is usually performed with acetic anhydride and with sulfuric acid as a catalyst. To minimize heterogeneities, acetylation is allowed to run nearly to completion, and subsequently partial ester hydrolysis is initiated by the addition of water until a desirable solubility is achieved that corresponds to a DS of about 2.5. Such higher acyl homologues as propanoyl or butanoyl exhibit more thermoplastic properties. Many specialized esters such as chiral (-)-menthyloxyacetates, furan-2-carboxylates, or crown-ether-containing acylates have been prepared on the laboratory scale and characterized by NMR spectroscopy. Various procedures have been applied, using anhydrides and acyl chlorides as acylating agents in combination with such bases as pyridine, 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP), or iV,iV -carbonyldi-imidazole. The substitution pattern of cellulose acetates has also been modified by postchemical enzymatic deacetylation. Cellulose 6-tosylates have been used as activated intermediates for nucleophihc substitution to afford 6-amino-6-deoxy, 6-deoxy, or 6-deoxy-6-halo-celluloses. ... 

Butyl formate is a colorless liquid, miscible with alcohols, ethers, oils, hydrocarbons and so forth. It will dissolve cellulose nitrate, some types af cellulose acetate, and many cellulose ethers. Butyl formate will also dissolve many natural and synthetic resins such os copals, dammar, elemi, mastic, shellac, cumar resins, ester gum and alkyds in the presence of ethyl alcohol. It is used as an intermediate and in perfumes. 

Dipropylene Glycol n (2,2 -dihydroxydipropyl ether) (CH3CHOH—CH2)20. a high-boiling glycol ether with a low order of toxicity, widely used as a solvent and chemical intermediate. As a solvent it is used with cellulose acetate and nitrate, and is one of the few known solvents for polyethylene. Thus it is used in screening tests to identify polyethylene. As an intermediate, dipropylene glycol reacts with dibasic acids to form alkyd resins, polyester plasticizers, and urethane-foam intermediates. 

Exploitation of cellulose takes three routes treatment to yield a tractable intermediate, with subsequent regeneration of the cellulose, and the manufacture of cellulose esters and ethers. The esters are the most important derivatives of cellulose, although cellulose itself is employed as a filler in cross-linked plastics, particularly urea-formaldehyde resins. Regenerated cellulose was the earliest man-made fibre and is still extensively used in film form, cellophane was an early packaging film, now superseded by cheaper products with technically more desirable properties. 

A later patent [15] suggested the use of these quaternary ammonium compounds as dyeing auxiliaries and stated that they react with cellulose to form an acetal. Water-repellent properties of these compounds were also mentioned. Reynolds, et al. (ICI) [16] discovered that pyridinium compounds featuring a long alkyl chain reacted with cellulose when heated and produced a durable water-repellent finish on cotton. The reaction with cellulose was thought to involve the chloroalkyl ether as an intermediate. 

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