Phosphorylation of cellulose with phosphorous acid and thermal degradation of the product

Abstract The reaction of cellulose with phosphorous acid in molten urea afforded a white, water‐soluble product. The product was a monoester of phosphorous acid, and all the phosphorus residues were in phosphonic form, i.e., cellulose phosphonate. Quantitative addition of acrylonitrile to the PH bonds in cellulose phosphonate occurred in the presence of sodium ethoxide. By alkali hydrolysis of the adduct, a polyelectrolyte having two different ionization groups, POH and COOH, could be prepared. Thermal degradation of three cellulose phosphonates, ammonium cellulose phosphonate (I), ammonium cellulose 2‐cyanoethlyphosphonate (II), and ammonium cellulose 2‐carboxyethylphosphonate (III), was examined. All three samples decomposed at a temperature around 270°C, but their thermal behaviors were different. Replacement of hydrogen in the phosphonic residue by 2‐cyanoethyl and 2‐carboxyethyl groups retarded dehydration of cellulose. Sample I had a satisfactory flame retardance; samples II and III were not flame resistant. Reduction of flame retardance may be due to the electron‐withdrawing effect of the cyano and carboxyl groups.