62 Cellulose 



By drastic oxidation of cellulose by the oxyhalogen com- 

 pounds i.e. by treatment with chlorine or bromine in presence 

 of alkaline hydrates the molecule is entirely broken down to 

 the simplest products. With bromine, i.e. hypobromite, some 

 quantity of bromoform is obtained ; carbon tetrabromide is 

 also easily obtained and identified. (Collie, J. Chem. Soc. 

 65, 262.) 



(2) Permanganates. The permanganates in neutral solu- 

 tion attack cellulose but slowly, and they may therefore be 

 usefully employed as bleaching agents. In presence of alkalis 

 a more drastic oxidation is determined. The degree of oxida- 

 tion is, of course, dependent upon the conditions of treatment. 

 The following general account of a particular experiment and 

 its results will illustrate its main features. 



22 "6 grms. cellulose, with 400 c.c. caustic soda solution ; 

 50 grms. KMnO 4 added in successive small portions ; tempera- 

 ture, 40-50. Proportion of cellulose to oxidising oxygen, 

 2 C 6 H 10 5 : 70. 



The main products were : 



(o) Oxycellulose . . . IO'5 grms., approximately 50 p.ct, 

 ()8) Oxidised carbohydrates in \ A 



solution . . ./ 3 ' 5 " " l6 " 



(7) Oxalic acid . . 4-3 2O 



(5) Carbonic acid, water, and "I 



traces of volatile acids . / 



(a) The oxycellulose gelatinised on washing, and was 

 similar to the product obtained by the action of nitric acid. 



(/3) The oxidised carbohydrate in solution resembled 

 ' caramel ' in appearance. The compound or mixture was 

 precipitated by basic lead acetate, and isolated by decomposing 

 the precipitate with hydrogen sulphide, filtering and evaporating. 

 On distillation from hydrochloric acid, furfural was obtained 

 in large proportion. 



(3) Extreme action of alkaline hydratei. "When fused at 



