Dilute Mineral Acids.
Schulze’s method of isolating cellulose from wood, and from the ligno-celluloses generally, consisted in macerating them for 12 to 14 days with 8⁄10 their weight of potassium chlorate dissolved in 12 parts by weight of nitric acid (sp. gr. 1·10), and completing the resolution by afterwards boiling with dilute ammonia. By the action of a more concentrated acid, 50 per cent. HNO3, at 80° C. (176° F.), a soluble derivative is obtained which has the composition (C25H40NO25). It is a syrupy, highly acid body, dyeing animal fibres a deep yellow shade, and giving with the earthy bases salts of the formula (C25H32NO25M4), which are precipitated by alcohol from their aqueous solution in the form of bright yellow flocks that dry to a yellow powder.
Dilute Alkalis.
Water at High Temperatures.
Concentrated Hydrochloric Acid.
Sulphuric Acid.
| C | 64·4 |
| H | 4·4 |
| O | 31·2 |
The solution yields on distillation furfural and acetic acid.
Nitric and Sulphuric Acids.
The increase in weight resulting from the fixation of the {23} nitric acid residue is approximately equal to that of cotton “nitrated” under the same conditions.