160 Cellulose 



furfural. 



P.ct. of lignocellulose. 



Yield from original fibre-substance . . 8-9 



Yield after chlorination .... 8-9 



P.ct. of products. 



Yield after CrO 3 treatment .... 8-9 



Yield from isolated cellulose Cl method . 7-8 



The origin of this characteristic product of decomposition 

 is localised mainly in the cellulose complex, the group from 

 which it is derived being isolated as a cellulose (/3-cellulose) 

 by the chlorination method. The lignocelluloses in their 

 'natural* condition appear also to contain hydroxyfurfurals 

 in small proportion, and to which their characteristic colour 

 reactions with phenols, especially phloroglucinol, are probably 

 due. 



Methoxyl. The presence of O.CH 3 groups is another 

 characteristic feature of lignification, i.e. of a lignocellulose. 

 In jute the total yield is 4-6 p.ct. ; the major proportion of the 

 methoxyl is localised in the lignone complex. A certain pro- 

 portion appears in the cellulose isolated by the chlorination 

 process, which is further suggestive of the relationships of the 

 lignone to the /3-cellulose previously discussed (p. 159). 



Assuming that the whole of the O.CH 3 is contained in the 

 lignone complex, the empirical formula assigned to this may 

 be calculated to contain two such groups, and would become 

 C 17 H 16 O 7 .2OCH 3 , a formula similar to that arrived at for a 

 product obtained from the lignone of coniferous woods (p. 201), 

 viz. C 24 H 24 8 .(OCH 3 ) 2 . 



Acetic acid is an important product of resolution of the 

 lignocelluloses by the action of hydrolytic and oxidising 

 agents, and under conditions of very limited intensity. The 

 source of this product is the lignone complex, and when this 

 is broken down by treatment with chromic acid (in presence 

 of sulphuric acid) the yield amounts to 50-70 p.ct. of its 



