Preparation of Deoxyamino-co-tosylcellulose and its property as a deodorant

Deoxyamino-co-tosylcellulose (DATC) was prepared by nucleophilic substitution of the p. toluenesulfonyl (tosyl) group of cellulose p-toluenesulfonate [tosylcellulose; degree of substitution (DS) by tosyl group (DStosyl)=0.92], which had been heterogeneously prepared from microcrystalline cellulose, by NH3 in water. In the substitution, DS by amino group (DSamino) increased with increasing reaction temperature and with reaction time, and reached up to 0.48 at 70°C for 96h, while DStosyl decreased to 0.05 under the same conditions. Ability of the obtained DATC powder to remove detrimental gases in the air was examined. The amount of adsorbed gaseous acetaldehyde increased with increasing DSamino of DATC, and about 70% of acetaldehyde of 1.15wt.% in 1.6L air was removed by 1.0g of DATC with DSamino of 0.48 after 24h. Adsorption of gaseous acetic acid showed a similar tendency but with slightly larger amounts. The amount of adsorbed n-propylamine decreased with increasing DSamino, the decrease being deduced to result from a decrease in the amount of tosyl groups in DATC. Regeneration of the ability of DATC, which had once adsorbed acetaldehyde gas, was examined. The abitity to remove acetaldehyde was almost perfectly recovered by washing with a dilute acid aqueous solution.