| Abstract: | Solid-state 13C-NMR spectroscopy has been used to investigate the structure of cellulose nitrates prepared from cotton linters. The solid-state technique has the advantage that the entire range of substitution can be studied, which is not possible at present by solution methods. The spectra change progressively with increasing degree of substitution (DOS = 3 for cellulose trinitrate), and can be used to quantify the extent of substitution at C6, C2, and C3. Progressive nitration leads to elimination of the original C6 resonances of native cellulose by DOS = 1.39. The first nitration of C6 occurs in the amorphous regions, and this is complete by DOS = 0.50. Substitution at C6 is accompanied by decrystallization, as indicated by the decrease in the resonance assigned to crystalline C4, which also disappears at DOS = 1.39. A new resonance assigned to C1 appears at DOS = 0.28 at 101 ppm; the original C1 resonance for cellulose declines steadily and disappears by DOS = 2.65. This change is assigned to nitration of C2, based on the published solution spectra. Finally, development of intensity at 82 ppm at DOS = 1.83 is assigned to the effect of nitration at C3. There is no indication of any rearrangement of the unsubstituted regions analogous to those that occur on Mercerization of native cellulose. |
