Assessment of the state of order of hydroxyl groups and of molecular segments in hydrocellulose

Through a study of the selective distribution of substituents introduced into hydrocellulose from reaction with N,N‐diethylaziridinium chloride, the change in selective availability of hydroxy groups at C‐2, C‐3, and C‐6 has been followed as a function of duration of hydrolysis to form the hydrocellulose. The hydrocellulose formed at a particular duration of hydrolysis showed maximum selective availability of hydroxyl groups; this was found to coincide with minimum moisture regain and minimum breadth at half height for 101, 101, and 002 peaks in x‐ray diffractograms. These points are discussed in terms of the structures of the hydrocelluloses at various stages of hydrolysis and in terms of the sequence of changes which is now associated with the conversion of fibrous cotton to “exemplar hydrocellulose,” i.e., the hydrocellulose having the highest degree of crystalline order, and subsequently, to less highly ordered hydrocelluloses.