Richard P.N. Veregin

Insights into the Lattice Structure of Cellulose II From the High Resolution CP/MAS Solid State 13C NMR Spectrum of Cellotetraose

Abstract The chemical shifts and multiplicities of the high-resolution 13C CP/MAS NMR spectrum of cellulose II are quite diagnostic of the lattice structure of this polymorph. Particularly important is the chemical shift of C-1 and its clear splitting into two lines of equal intensity. Similar chemical shifts and multiplicities are seen in the spectrum of cellotetraose. Thus cellotetraose is considered to be a good model for the lattice structure of the polymer. A detailed investigation of the multiplicity of the C-1 resonance of cellotetraose shows that the two peaks are of equal intensity in this case also. Because of the limited number of repeat units in the tetramer, this observation implies that the unit cell contains two independent chains rather than a “double” repeat unit. This gives support for a similar lattice structure, with two independent chains, for cellulose II itself.