Beschreibung:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Sulfopropylation of hemicelluloses was achieved in dimethyl sulfoxide solution. The progress of sulfopropylation reaction was studied as a function of the dimsyl/hemicellulose ratio, reaction time with dimsyl (dimethylsulfinyl carbanion), propanesultone/hemicellulose ratio, and reaction time with propanesultone. The degree of substitution of sulfopropylhemicelluloses ranged between 0,5 and 1,1 as a function of experimental conditions. Intrinsic viscosity (0,1—0,3 dl/g) and molecular weight measurements (15000 g.mol<jats:sup>—1</jats:sup>) showed a controllable degradation of hemicellulose chains during the reaction. The NMR characterization of enzymatically degradated sulfopropylhemicelluloses indicated a homogeneous substitution along the polysaccharide chains. A significant regioselectivity for the OH‐2 hydroxyl groups was observed only for DS ≤ 0,5.</jats:p>