CHEMICAL MODIFICATION OF CELLULOSE IN A S UPERBASE MEDIUM

A simple method of chemical modification of cellulose is proposed here . This method is based on the ''hydrophobic mercerization'' of cellulo se in a superbase medium [such as the dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)-solid sodium hydroxide mixture] followed by O-alkylation (or acylation). Met hyl sulfate, benzyl chloride, acetic anhydride, methyl bromoacetate, t riethyleneglycol ditosylate, and p-toluenesulfonyl(tosyl) chloride wer e used as the alkylating (acylating) agents. This method appreciably s implifies the production of acetyl- and methoxycarbonylmethylcellulose . The latter is subsequently used to introduce coronand and podand moi eties into the cellulose polymer chain. O-Tosylation results in the fo rmation of anhydroderivatives. O-Alkylation with triethyleneglycol dit osylate gives derivatives with podand fragments and a marked ability t o bind potassium ions. A qualitative method for detecting this ability in insoluble polymers is suggested. It offers an opportunity to obtai n the available polymer phase-transfer catalysts with potential enanti oselective activity.