FIELD: chemistry.
SUBSTANCE: invention relates to nonuniformly substituted (substituted in mass) hydroxyethyl cellulose and derivatives thereof. Hydroxyethyl cellulose contains groups which are nonuniformly distributed in the cellulose main chain. The fraction of unsubstituted trimmers is greater than 0.21 and hydroxyethyl molar substitution is greater than approximately 1.3 and less than approximately 5.0. Hydroxyethyl cellulose which is substituted in the mass is obtained and used in functional systems. The method involves mixing and reacting cellulose, water and ethylene oxide in an organic solvent for a sufficient period of time and sufficient temperature. A second mixture of the main cellulose reagent is then prepared by adding acid or a mixture of the main hydroxyethyl cellulose reagent by adding ethylene oxide followed by addition of the main reagent. Further, ethylene oxide is added to the second mixture of the main cellulose reagent or the cellulose mixture of the main hexaethyl cellulose reagent and the reaction is carried out at sufficient temperature for a sufficient period of time to obtain the hydroxyethyl cellulose end product.
EFFECT: mixture of hydroxyethyl cellulose and derivatives thereof have unique and high-demand rheological properties and are more efficient in thickening aqueous systems than existing hexaethyl cellulose products.
37 cl, 1 dwg, 16 tbl, 33 ex
