BIFUNCTIONAL ETHERIFICATION OF A BEAD CELLULOSE FOR LIGAND ATTACHMENTWITH ALLYL BROMIDE AND ALLYL GLYCIDYL ETHER

Efficient carboxymethylation of a bead cellulose was achieved with dim ethyl sulphoxide-water mixtures but low activation levels were found w ith epoxidation reagents. The highest activation levels were obtained with allyl bromide and allyl glycidyl ether. This was attributed to th e relative inertness of the allyl group towards water and cellulose, l imiting hydrolysis and crosslinking. Advantages over epoxidation chemi stry for bead cellulose were efficient reagent use, reproducible activ ation up to high levels and specificity of matrix modification. Predic table activation was obtained and facile titration methods were develo ped. Efficient activations of agarose and methacrylate matrices were a lso obtained with the allyl reagents.