Six kinds of regioselectively substituted, cellulose heteroesters (cel
lulose propanoate diacetate, cellulose butanoate diacetate, cellulose
acetate dipropanoate, cellulose butanoate dipropanoate, cellulose acet
ate dibutanoate, and cellulose propanoate dibutanoate) and three kinds
of cellulose triesters (cellulose triacetate, cellulose tripropanoate
, and cellulose tributanoate) were prepared from a microcrystalline ce
llulose, and their melting points were measured by differential scanni
ng calorimetry. Based on the results of strong correlationship between
the melting point and the length of the acyl groups at the secondary
hydroxyl groups at C2 and C3 positions, the latter was identified as p
laying a decisive role in the thermal properties of the cellulose fatt
y acid heteroesters. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.