Hydroxyalkylation of polysaccharides

Claim 1

PROCESS FOR PRODUCING AN HYDROXYALKYL ETHER OF A POLYSACCHARIDE, WHICH COMPRISES DISPERSING A POLYSACCHARIDE SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF THE CELLULOSES AND'' THE STARCHES IN A LIQUID DISPERSANT MIXTURE COMPRISING (1) A MAJOR PORTION OF A LIQUID BOILING ABOVE 85* C. AND SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF THE BENZENOID HYDROCARBONS, THE ALKANES, AND THE MONOETHER AND THE MONOKETONE DERIVATIVES OF THE ALKANES, AND (2) A MINOR PORTION OF AN ALKOXYALKANOL HAVING ONE TO FOUR CARBON ATOMS IN THE ALKOXY GROUP AND SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF THE ALKOXYETHANOLS, THE ALKOXYISOPROPANOLS AND THE ALKOXYPROPANOLS, IN THE PRESENT OF WATER AND A CAUSTIC ALKALI, AND AGITATING THE RESULTANT DISPERSION WITH A ALKYLENE OXIDE HAVING TWO TO FOUR CARBON ATOMS, AT ELEVATED TERMPERATURES NO HIGHER THAN AROUND 50* C., WHILE MAINTAINING IN THE SOLID STATE THE POLYSACCHARIDE AND THE HYDROXYALKYL ETHER DERIVATIVE THEREOF THUS PRODUCED.