Synthesis of some vinyl derivatives of cellulose and their grafting copolymerization with styrene

Some new vinyl derivatives of cellulose have been synthesized under anhydrous conditions using potassium cellulosate. The unsaturated groups were introduced by esterification with acryloyl chloride and by etherification with vinylbenzyl chloride or via 5‐chloromethylsalicylaldyhyde derivatives. Levels of cellulose substitution of from ∼10–75% of glucose residues were achieved. Polystyrene was readily grafted onto all the derivatives via solution polymerization in toluene, using azobisisobutyronitrile as a thermal initiator. Weight fractions of styrene of up to ∼0.4 were readily obtained.