Tosylation and acylation of cellulose in 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride

Tosylation and acylation of cellulose were performed under mild reaction conditions using imidazolium based ionic liquids (ILs) as solvents. The non-degradative nature, lower viscosity, as well as higher solubility of cellulose in [amim]Cl encouraged us to carry out the reactions in this media. The reactions described here were optimised for this particular solvent in order to obtain different cellulose derivatives with high yields, homogeneity and degree of substitution (DS). Two reagents employed for the in situ activation of carboxylic acids were N,N'-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) and 1-ethyl-3-(3'-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDCI). Final products were characterised by solution and solid-state NMR techniques.