Kinetics of the Reactions of Ethyleneurea Derivatives with Cotton Cellulose

Abstract

Cotton print cloth has been treated with 0.55 M aqueous solutions of 1,3-dimethyl- 4,5-dihydroxy-2-imidazolidinone or dimethylhydroxyethyleneurea (DMeDHEU) in the presence of either ZnCl2, Zn(NO3) 2, MgCl2, or Mg(NO3)2 catalyst at 0.03 and 0.1 M concentration of metal ion. The rates of the reaction at 45, 55, and 65°C in the presence of each of the above catalysts at 0.03 M concentration of metal ion have been determined by following the changes in bound nitrogen. Changes in wet and conditioned crease recovery with reaction time were also followed. Enthalpies, entropies, and free energies of activation at 45°C have been calculated. The kinetics followed a pseudo first-order reaction with zinc salts and zero-order reaction with magnesium salts. With zinc salt catalysis, substitution of the amido hydrogens by methyl groups in DMeDHEU increased the reactivity of the ring hydroxyl groups when comparison was made with dihydroxyethyleneurea (DHEU) and dimethyloldihydroxyethyleneurea (DMDHEU).