N,n-diethylaziridinium chloride as a coreactant catalyst for reactions of n-methylol reagents with cellulose

The use of N,N-diethylaziridinium chloride (DAC) as a coreactant catalyst for the reaction of cellulose with several N-methylol compounds has been investigated. This catalyst was effective in promoting reaction between cotton and all of the four methylol derivatives tested but especially effective in promoting the reactions of dimethylolethyleneurea and methylated trimethylolmelamine with cotton cellulose. These two cross-linking agents could be used in a delayed- cure process with DAC as the catalyst. Little reaction occurred with either of these reagents during delay periods up to 33 days and no increases in recovery angles were found in the delayed and uncured samples. The delayed-but-cured samples showed crease-recovery angles equal to those achieved in immediate cures.