Highly C6-selective and quantitative modification of cellulose: nucleoside-appended celluloses to solubilize single walled carbon nanotubes

Cellulose derivatives having thymidine and/or trimethylammonium appendages exclusively at C6 positions can be prepared in a convenient manner through C6-selective bromination/azidation on cellulose to afford 6-azido-6-deoxycellulose followed by chemoselective [3 + 2] cycloadditions using Cu⁺ as a catalyst. These cellulose derivatives take unique sheet-like structures and function as “wrapping papers” to effectively disperse single-walled carbon nanotubes in water.