Preparing cellulose ethers in a dimethoxyethane/(dispersing auxiliary) medium

US4501887A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Hoechst GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Wolfgang Kornrumpf · Niedernhausen, DE
• Eberhard Perplies · Eltville am Rhein, DE
• Josef Hilbig · Taunusstein, DE
• Utz-Hellmuth Felcht · Bad Soden, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 17, 1984
• Grant date: Feb 26, 1985
• Expiry date: Feb 17, 2004

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C08B11/00
• WIPO field: Macromolecular chemistry, polymers
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

In modern processes for the preparation of cellulose ethers containing one or more types of substituents (such as MC, CMC, HEC, HPC, MHEC or EHEC), cellulose is reacted with etherifying agents in the presence of water, base and a mixture of preferably inert organic solvents (as a dispersing auxiliary). Dimethoxyethane (ethylene glycol dimethyl ether) and at least one organic solvent selected from the group including alkanols, alkane diols and alkoxy alkanols (for example, methanol and/or isopropanol) are employed in the mixture of organic solvents used for these syntheses, particularly in quantities of 1 to 30 parts by weight per 1 part by weight of cellulose.