NEW APPROACHES TO ADVANCED POLYMERS BY SELECTIVE CELLULOSE FUNCTIONALIZATION

The uniform structure of cellulose, combined with its hydrophilicity, biocompatibility, chirality, and structure-forming capacity, as well a s its broad synthetic potential, make the design of cellulose-based ad vanced materials a challenge for polysaccharide research. The synthesi s of new cellulose products with regiocontrolled pattern of functional ization and of well defined supramolecular nanoscale architectures is a highlight in recent cellulose chemistry. The present feature will di scuss regioselective functionalization of cellulose and cellulose deri vatives with respect to reactivity of the polymer depending on molecul ar and supramolecular structure. Experimental examples of functionaliz ation via ester intermediates of controlled stability as well as via p rotecting or activating ether groups are described and the efficiency of the reaction routes and procedures is evaluated. Moreover, problems and progress in techniques of product analysis and structure-property relationships as well as potential applications of regioselectively f unctionalized cellulosics are presented together with a discussion of possible future developments in cellulose chemistry.