Abstract: An anionic cellulose ether obtainable by a process comprising reacting an alkali metal cellulose with one or more reagents A selected from the group consisting of haloacetic acids, alkali metal haloacetates, alkali metal vinyl sulfonates, vinyl sulfonic acid, and precursors thereof, and one or more reagents B having the formula R1—(OCH2CH(R2))n-P, wherein R2 represents hydrogen or a methyl group; n is 0-2; P represents a glycidyl ether group, a 1,2-epoxy group or a precursor thereof, if P represents a glycidyl ether group, R1 represents a linear C3-C5 alkyl group, optionally containing an oxygen atom, a phenyl group, or a benzyl group, and if P represents a 1,2-epoxy group, R1 represents a linear C3-C5 alkyl group, optionally containing an oxygen atom. Preferably, reagent A is chloroacetic acid and reagent B is n-butyl glycidyl ether. The invention also relates to the use of said anionic cellulose ether as an associative thickener, rheology modifier or stabilizer.

Abstract: A hydrophobically modified anionic cellulose ether obtainable by a process comprising reacting an alkali metal cellulose with at least three alkylating reagents A, B, and C. Reagent A is selected from the group of haloacetic acids, alkali metal haloacetates, alkali metal vinyl sulfonates, and vinyl sulfonic acid. Reagent B has the formula R1—(OCH2CH(R2))n—P, wherein R1 represents a C2-C7 group, R2 is hydrogen or a methyl group, n is 0-2, and P represents a glycidyl ether group, a 3-halo-2-hydroxypropyl ether group, a 1,2-epoxy group, or a halide, and reagent C has the formula R3—(OCH2CH(R2))m—P, wherein R3 represents a C8-C30 group, m is 0-10, and R2 and P have the meaning as described above.

Abstract: The Invention pertains to a process for the amidation of a material having at least one carboxyl-containing polysaccharide. The provided process involves a first step in which the carboxyl groups are reacted with an ammonium donor of the general formula >NH to form the corresponding polysaccharide carboxyl ammonium salt, and a second step in which the polysaccharide carboxyl ammonium salt is heated so as to convert the ammonium groups into the corresponding amido groups. The invention also pertains to fatty amide modified carboxyl-containing polysaccharides, and particularly to fatty amide modified carboxymethyl cellulose. The products in accordance with the invention can be widely employed, e.g. in the field of biodegradable plastics, as anti-redeposition agents for synthetic fibers, as polymeric emulsifiers, as pigment dispersing agents, in cosmetic applications, as thickeners, as oil drilling fluids, as superabsorbers, and in mineral processing.

Abstract: Disclosed is carboxymethyl inulin having a degree of substitution (DS) ranging from 0,15 to 2,5, preferably from 0,5 to 1,5, a process for the preparation of said carboxymethyl inulin by reacting inulin at a concentration of at least 100 g/l, preferably at least 200 g/l, at elevated temperature with an aqueous alkaline solution of monochloroacetic acid, followed by working up the reaction mixture according to a method known in the chemical art, and the use of said carboxymethyl inulin as inhibitor for the crystallization of calcium carbonate.

Abstract: A process is provided for making a triester of citric acid wherein the cyanohydrin of an acetone dicarboxylic acid diester is reacted with 1 to 3 molar equivalents of an aliphatic alcohol having 1 to 4 carbon atoms and at least two molar equivalents of anhydrous hydrogen chloride in an inert halogenated organic solvent for the cyanohydrin diester at not above 50.degree.C. to form an imino ether, removing excess hydrogen chloride, adding water to form a two-phase system, separating the organic and water phases and recovering the resulting triester from the organic phase. The triester may be hydrolyzed into citric acid or a salt of citric acid in an acid or alkaline medium.