| abstract |
A process for oxidising cellulose, in which a nitroxyl compound such as TEMPO is oxidised using an oxidising agent in the presence of a complex of a transition metal such as Mn, Fe, Cu, and a complexing agent such as a polyamine, or an oxidative enzyme, and the resulting nitrosonium ion is used to selectively oxidise the cellulose 6-hydroxy-methylene groups to carbaldehyde groups and carboxylic acid groups. |