Cellulose Studies: II. Estimation of Aldehyde Groups in Oxycellulose by the Hypoiodite Method

The various modifications of the aldehyde group determination by alkaline iodine solution were found to be unreliable for the aldehyde type of oxycellulose. The failure of the method is chiefly attributed to the instability of the oxidizing reagent, to certain prototropic and anionotropic conversions suffered by the oxycellulose in alkaline media, and to an iodoform-producing side-reaction of non-oxidative nature.