Degradation of Cellulose Models During an Ozone Treatment. Ozonation of Glucose and Cellobiose With Oxygen or Nitrogen as Carrier Gas at Different pH

Many parameters can influence the kinetics of cellulose models ozonation. In this work the effect of pH and oxygen as gas carrier on the evolution of the reaction was studied. The involvement of free radical species seemed to be unimportant in high ozone concentration available in water, even at high pH with regard to the reaction rate and by-product formation. Conversely, in basic pH conditions better reaction selectivity with formation in a higher yield of gluconic acid and cellobionic acid was found during the glucose and the cellobiose ozonation. The participation of the solvent and the partial ionization of the hydroxyl group at the Cl position explain this enhanced selectivity. Furthermore, the formation of compounds with a low molecular weight has been proved to be due to a hydrotrioxide fragmentation mechanism involving oxygen.