DSC STUDY ON REGIOSELECTIVELY SUBSTITUTED CELLULOSE HETEROESTERS

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.