Process for producing hydroxyalkyl celluloses

Abstract

The present invention relates to (1) a process for producing a hydroxyalkyl cellulose having an excellent water-solubility while maintaining a high reaction selectivity by adding a basic compound and an alkyleneoxide to a cellulose to conduct a reaction therebetween in which the basic compound is added in a total amount of from 0.3 to 1.5 mol per 1 mol of an anhydroglucose unit in the cellulose, and the alkyleneoxide is added in a total amount of from 1.0 to 3.0 mol per 1 mol of an anhydroglucose unit in the cellulose, the process including a step of adding the basic compound in an amount of from 50 to 95% of the total amount of the basic compound to be added during the process, and then adding the alkyleneoxide in an amount of from 30 to 80% of the total amount of the alkyleneoxide to be added during the process to react the compounds with the cellulose, thereby obtaining a reaction mixture; and a step of adding a remaining amount of the basic compound and a remaining amount of the alkyleneoxide to the reaction mixture obtained in the previous step to conduct a reaction therebetween; (2) a hydroxyalkyl cellulose produced by the process; and (3) a process for producing a cationized hydroxyalkyl cellulose using the resulting hydroxyalkyl cellulose.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.