PURPOSE: To obtain an alkylsulfinylethylcellulose having high permselectivity for sulfur dioxide gas, by reacting cellulose with an alkyl vinyl sulfoxide in the presence of an alkali catalyst.
CONSTITUTION: An alkylsulfinylethylcellulose of formula II is produced by reacting cellulose with an alkyl vinyl sulfoxide of formula I in the presence of an alkali catalyst. In the formula, X may be the same or different and is H or alkylsulfinylethyl of formula II (wherein R is a 1W6C alkyl), and the average degree of substitution with alkylsulfinylethyl of formula II per glucose unit is 0.05 or above. n is the number of repeating glucose units. Although examples of the alkali catalyst include sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate, sodium hydroxide is usually economically advantageous.
SHIOMI TOMOO
TEZUKA YASUSHI
