The Typical Cellulose and the Cellulose Group 57 



washed with dilute alcohol. It amounts to about 30 p.ct. of 

 the cellulose acted upon, the remainder being for the most 

 part completely oxidised to carbonic and oxalic acids. On 

 ultimate analysis it gives the following numbers: 



C 43'4l 

 H 5-3 J 



5*3 



It dissolves in a mixture of nitric and sulphuric acids, and 

 on pouring into water, the nitrate CjgH^O^NC^s separates 

 as a white flocculent precipitate. From the low number of 

 OH groups reacting with the nitric acid, it may be concluded 

 that the compound is both a condensed as well as an oxidised 

 derivative of cellulose. This oxycellulose dissolves in dilute 

 solutions of the alkalis, and on heating the solutions they 

 develop a strong yellow colour. Warmed with concentrated 

 sulphuric acid it develops a pink colouration similar to that of 

 mucic acid. The compound exhibits generally a close re- 

 semblance to the pectic group of colloid carbohydrates. 



The by-products of this oxidation are carbonic and oxalic acids, 

 together with the lower nitrogen oxides. The solution, examined 

 at any stage, appears to contain traces only of intermediate pro- 

 ducts of oxidation of the cellulose. The reaction is divisible into the 

 two stages: (i) the conversion of the cellulose into hydracellulose, 

 evidenced by its breaking down to a fine flocculent powder ; and 

 (2) the oxidation of the hydracellulose. 



The oxycelluloses resulting from this process differ from those 

 formed by the action of CrO 3 (infra), in giving small yields only of 

 furfural (2-3 p.ct.) on boiling with HClAq (ro6 sp.gr.). It is also to 

 be noted that the carbon is higher than that of the oxycelluloses, 

 giving large yields of furfural (p. 84). These points suggest that, 

 side by side with oxidation, combination of the negative oxy-groups 

 with the more basic groups of unattacked molecules takes place, 

 giving derivatives of the nature of esters. And, indeed, the re- 

 action may be even more complicated. It is clear, from the com- 

 position of the nitrate, that the proportion of basic OH groups is 

 reduced to a minimum. 



