Efficient Synthesis of Regioselectively Substituted Cellulose Esters

The ability to make cellulose esters with a high degree of control over the position of substitution is a very difficult problem in organic chemistry, polymer science, analytical chemistry, and materials science. The availability of efficient ways to make highly regioselectively substituted cellulose esters will enable structure-property studies that identify optimal material performance in particular applications, supply the materials to deliver that optimal performance, and facilitate the understanding of analytical characteristics of particular cellulose ester regioisomers that will enable better control of traditional synthesis processes. This invention is a simple method for achieving high regioselectivity in cellulose ester syntheses that employs common organic solvents and no protecting groups, and is thus well-suited to efficient production of desired materials.

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