olecular
proportions as below, the following yields were obtained:--

Calc. for
Monobenzoate
(a) C_{6}H_{10}O_{5} : 2.0-2.5 NaOH : C_{6}H_{5}.COCl-- 150.8}
}164.0
(b) C_{6}H_{10}O_{5} : 2.0-2.5 NaOH : 1.5 mol. C_{6}H_{5}COCl 159.0}

An examination of (a) showed that some dibenzoate (about 7 p.ct.) had
been formed. The product () was exhaustively treated with cuprammonium
solution, to which it yielded about 20 p.ct. of its weight, which was
therefore unattacked cellulose.

Under conditions as above, but with 2.5 mol. C_{6}H_{5}COCl, a careful
comparison was made of the behaviour of the three varieties of cotton,
which were taken in the unspun condition and previously fully bleached
and purified.

___________________________________________________________________
| | | | |
| | Sea Island | Egyptian | American |
|________________________________|____________|__________|__________|
| | | | |
| Aggregate yield of benzoate | 153 | 148 | 152 |
| Moisture in air dry state | 5.28 | 5.35 | 5.15 |
| Proportion of dibenzoate p.ct. | 8.30 | 13.70 | 9.4 |
| Yield of cellulose by | 58.0 | 54.0 | 58.3 |
| saponification | | | |
|________________________________|____________|__________|__________|

It appears from these results that the benzoate reaction may proceed to
a higher limit (dibenzoate) in the case of Egyptian cotton. This would
necessarily imply a higher limit of 'mercerisation,' under equal
conditions of treatment with the alkaline hydrate. It must be noted that
in the conversion of the fibrous cellulose into these (still) fibrous
monobenzoates, there are certain mechanical conditions imported by the
structural features of the ultimate fibres. For the elimination of the
influence of this factor a large number of quantitative comparisons will
be necessary. The above results are therefore only cited as typical of a
method of comparative investigation, more especially of the still open
questions of the cause of the superior effects in mercerisation of
certain co