PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE ESTERS IN THE PRESENCE OF A COSOLVENT

摘要

Ionic liquids and cellulose ester compositions and processes for producing ionic liquids and cellulose esters. Cellulose esters can be produced by subjecting a cellulose-ionic liquid solution comprising cellulose, one or more ionic liquids, and one or more co-solvents to esterification to thereby produce an esterified medium comprising a cellulose ester. The co-solvents employed in the present invention can be either miscible or immiscible with the cellulose-ionic liquid solution but can be readily dispersed or soluble in the esterified medium.