Experimental study on diluent selecting during synthesizing of ethyl cellulose with high substituting degree

The effect of different diluents on ethylation of cellulose with high substituting degree was investigated, and the effect of toluene amount on efficiency of the etherifying agent while toluene was selected as diluents was also discussed. The results showed that toluene was an excellent diluents during synthesizing of ethyl cellulose with high substituting degree, the ethoxy group content of the products was increased by using toluene in ethylation, especially when the mass ratio of toluene and cellulose was 8∶1, the optimal ethoxy group content was obtained; the efficiency of ethyl chloride was enhanced by using suitable amount of toluene in ethylation when the other process parameters were the same.