1 36 Cellulose 



the fibre-substance in the dry state does not react with chlorine 

 even when heated with the gas (60-80). 



The residue, after removing the lignone chloride, is a 

 cellulose, containing, i.e. no ' unsaturated ' groups, but yield- 

 ing, on distillation with HC1, from 4 to 8 p.ct. furfural. It is to 

 he regarded, therefore, as a mixture of a normal cellulose (a) 

 and a cellulose (/?) which is readily condensed to furfural. 

 Since the total weight of furfural obtainable from the ligno- 

 cellulose is not affected by the chlorination, it may be con- 

 cluded that the ' furfuroids ' of the original lignocellulose are 

 in the main associated with the cellulose complex, and from 

 the yields of cellulose, that the principal constituent is this 

 ft cellulose constituting 20 p.ct. of the complex. It appears 

 from later researches of the authors that a proportion of 

 actual furfural derivatives, notably hydrodyfurfurals, are pre- 

 sent in the lignocellulose, to which, in fact, certain of their 

 characteristic colour reactions are to be ascribed. These, 

 however, are small in amount, and being easily removed, 

 without affecting the essential character of the lignocellulose, 

 may be regarded as products of secondary changes. 



In the reaction of the lignocellulose with chlorine it is 

 found that HC1 is formed approximately equal in weight to 

 the Cl, combining as lignone chloride. It is to be concluded, 

 therefore, that the reaction is simple and unattended by 

 secondary oxidations of any moment. 



The lignone complex when chlorinated, though readily 

 removed from the cellulose, has not been further resolved by 

 any treatments which can be accounted for by quantitative 

 statistics. The evidences as to its constitution are as follows : 

 (i) As regards the constituent group which combines with 

 chlorine. The lignone chloride when carefully heated gives a 

 sublimate containing chloroquinones ; treated with nascent 

 hydrogen it yields trichloropyrogallol ; the reaction with 

 sodium sulphite is identical with that of the chlorinated deriva- 



