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Abstract: Literature is strongly contradictory about the molecular reasons for yellowing and brightness reversion of pure (lignin- and hemicellulose-free) celluloses, such as in highly bleached pulps, bacterial cellulose, or cotton linters. While oxidized groups—carbonyls (CO) and carboxyls (COOH)—have been recognized as the initiators of yellowing, they are generally always found together; thus, their effects are permanently superimposed in real-world cellulose. For this reason, their individual contributions could not be reliably determined. To tackle this conundrum, we have used a two-stage study: the employment of glucopyranose-derived model compounds and the use of special cellulosic pulps. Both substrates had either only carbonyl functions, only carboxyl functions, or defined ratios of both functionalities present at the same time. The model compounds alone already provided strong indications of the CO-related and COOH-related effects, and further confirmation was obtained by the pulp study. Here, in regard to the polymer case, the carbonyl groups are the minimum functional unit in cellulose responsible for chromophore generation (termed as the "CO effect"). The carbonyl groups are the precursors for the chromophores that are formed later upon yellowing/aging. Chromophore formation increases strictly linearly with the carbonyl content at a constant given carboxyl content. Carboxyl groups alone (i.e., in the absence of carbonyl groups) are fully innocent regarding the color generation. However, they have a strong promotive action when carbonyl groups are present (termed as the "COOH effect"), which includes acidic catalysis and an additional activation by electronic effects. The general roles of CO and COOH are the same for all aging types (e.g., thermal, acidic, or alkaline), while the respective rates of chromophore generation evidently depend on various parameters such as the temperature, medium, and pH value.Graphical abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Depolymerization of cellulose starting from an oxidized anhydroglucose unit through β-alkoxy-elimination, triggered by alkaline media, is one of the key reactions responsible for cellulose aging. This study investigates the detailed mechanisms for the chain cleavage by a combination of experimental and quantum chemical methods. Three model compounds for oxidized anhydroglucose units in cellulose were employed: C2-keto, C3-keto-, and C6-aldehyde 4-O-methyl methyl β-D-glucosides, representing anhydroglucose units of cellulose that have been oxidized at C2, C3, and C6, respectively. The alkali-induced β-alkoxy elimination from the model compounds started from the corresponding enolates and followed first order kinetics. While methanol is being released in the case of the model compounds, the analogous process effects chain cleavage in the case of the polymer cellulose. The kinetic rate constants for the C6-aldehyde compound 2, the 2-keto compound 3 and the 3-keto counterpart 4 had a ratio of 1:5:22, indicating the 3-keto compound to be the least stable one. Elimination from an oxidized 6-position (6-aldehyde) was thus more than 20 times slower than that from an oxidized C-3 (3-keto). A 6-carboxyl group is completely innocent with regard to β-elimination. MP4(SDQ)//DFT(M06-2X) calculations indicated that the degradation pathway starting from the 3-keto enolate had the smallest activation barrier because of stabilization of the transition state by charge transfer from O-5 to C-1. The 3-keto enolate path was consequently more favorable than the alternative ones involving the 2-keto and the 6-keto enolates, which do not exhibit this transition state stabilization. Experimental and computational data thus agreed very well. In polymeric cellulose, also leaving group effects of the O-4 and O-1 glucopyranosyl anions come into play. Calculations indicated the O-4 anion to be more stable, and hence the better leaving group. In actual cellulose, the degradation starting from 3-keto units will become even more dominant than in the model compound, suggesting that carbonyls at C-2 and C-3, both of which afford the C-2 enolate due to the rapid interconversion between the C-2 and C-3 enolates, are chiefly responsible for alkali-induced chain cleavage in oxidatively damaged cellulose, while an aldehyde at C-6 is more innocent.Graphical Abstract: [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]