Aminoethyl substitution enhances the self-assembly properties of an aminocellulose as a potential archaeological wood consolidant.

The 6-deoxy-6-aminocelluloses-or "aminocelluloses"-are a class of synthetic natural cellulose derivatives which are mostly aqueous soluble and have excellent film-forming properties. Recent studies have connected these properties at the molecular level with protein-like self-associative behaviour for a range of aminocelluloses including a 6-deoxy-6-(ω-aminoethyl) aminocellulose AEA-1 with the association being a two-stage process-a reversible oligomerisation followed by further (semi-reversible) aggregation into larger structures. Here, we synthesise and compare a new 6-deoxy-6-(ω-aminoethyl) aminocellulose AEA-1' with different degree of substitution with one with further alkyl derivatisation, namely 6-deoxy-6-(ω-hydroxyethyl) aminocellulose HEA-1'. As with AEA-1, sedimentation velocity and sedimentation equilibrium in the analytical ultracentrifuge still show a two-stage process for both AEA-1' and HEA-1', with the latter giving higher molar masses. The consequences of these properties for use as consolidants for archaeological wood are considered.