Bromide-free oxidizing system for carboxylic moiety formation in cellulose chain.

NHPI (N-hydroxyphthalimide) was used to mediate the oxidation of cellulose fibers in the absence of sodium bromide, as traditionally was used in this kind of transformations, solely using sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) as the primary oxidant. Avoiding the use of NaBr is highly desired from both environmental and corrosion concerns. The non-persistent PINO (phthalimide-N-oxy) radical, the key species in the oxidation reaction, has been in situ generated from NHPI and copper (II) chloride. The reaction was performed at room temperature at pH=10.5. The carboxylic moiety formation was evidenced by FTIR and X-ray photoelectronic spectroscopy (XPS) and the content of the negatively charged groups determined by potentiometric titration. The changes appeared in crystallinity were evidenced by X-ray diffraction technique.