Acetylation of cellulose using recyclable polymeric catalysts

The esterification of cellulose with acetyl chloride in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone proceeded smoothly using crosslinked polyvinylpyridine (C-PVP) as catalysts. The structures of the cellulose acetates were confirmed by FTIR, H-1-NMR, and C-13-NMR analyses. The molecular weights were determined by GPC, and the thermal properties were characterized with DSC and TGA. The effects of reaction conditions on yields and degree of substitutions were evaluated in detail. C-PVP was recycled by a simple alkali treatment, and the recycled C-PVP could be readily reused as catalysts in cellulose acetylations without adverse effects on the reactions. The influences of C-PVP on the structures of cellulose acetate samples were further discussed. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.