25—The Reduction of the Aldehyde Groups in Periodate Oxycelluloses by Sodium Borohydride

Abstract

It is shown that treatment of periodate oxycelluloses with aqueous sodium borohydride greatly diminishes their reducing power (copper number) and their fluidity in cuprammonium. These results show that the aldehyde groups in the oxycelluloses are reduced by the borohydride, and that the reduction leads to the stabilization of linkages that were rendered alkalisensitive by the presence of the aldehyde groups. The effects of varying the pH, the temperature, and the reagent concentration in the borohydride treatment have been investigated, and optimum conditions for the reduction are suggested.