The preparation and properties of vinyl cellulose

The vinylation of cellulose by acetylene under alkaline conditions was optimized with respect to both DS and DP. Shortening the reaction time reduced the harmful alkaline depolymerization of cellulose during the reaction and gave products with higher DP values. Thus cellulose, activated by KOH, was vinylated for 180 min at 431K and 5.5 MPa to yield 72.1% of a product with DS 1.46 and DP _w 175. Results of vinyl cellulose analysis by new and old methods were in good agreement with each other. Trimethylsilylated vinyl cellulose was prepared for proton NMR and GPC measurements. It was found that vinyl cellulose slowly loses its vinyl groups when stored in light and air.