i6 



Cellulose 



In a general way the inertness of cellulose may be compared 

 with that of inorganic salts, more particularly those which result 

 from the combination of the weaker acids and bases. Cellu- 

 lose in reaction shows both acid and basic characteristics, and, as 

 we shall see, these properties may be explained by proximity of 

 its OH groups to CO and to CH 2 groups respectively within the 

 molecule. 



It appears, moreover, that these OH groups are in a condition 

 of reciprocal suppression, requiring the application of powerful 

 reagents or severe conditions to bring them into reaction. 



This condition of its OH groups appears to be associated with 

 the endothermic constitution or configuration of the cellulose 

 molecule. There is a good deal of evidence physiological and 

 chemical that the formation of cellulose is associated with the 

 absorption of energy beyond what may be taken as normal to a 

 saturated compound of the empirical formula C 6 H 10 O 5 . 



DILUTE ALKALIS AND ACIDS. It has been shown that 

 pure bleached cotton enters into reaction with the acids and 

 basic oxides when plunged even into cold and highly dilute 

 solutions of these compounds (Mills). In illustration of this 

 point the following results of experiments may be cited : 



The molecular ratio of the absorption of the two latter 

 viz. 3HC1, loNaOH appears to hold good for a somewhat 

 wide range of conditions ; and it may be noted that the same 

 ratio was observed for silk, though the observation can only be 

 regarded as a coincidence. 



These reactions of cellulose have been by no means exhaus- 

 tively investigated ; as our knowledge of the group of celluloses 

 and of their differentiations one from the other is extended, it 

 becomes necessary to institute a careful comparison in regard to 

 this property of * absorbing ' reagents. 



