Reactions of β-sulphatoethyl sulphone crosslinking agent with wool. Part IV: Topochemistry of reactions by fractionation and extraction

Abstract

Topochemical studies have indicated that the crosslinking reaction of 2-chloro-4,6-di( -aminobenzene-4-β-sulphato-ethylsulphone)-1,3,5- s-triazine (XLC) occurs mainly in the low-sulphur microfibrillar proteins of the wool fibre. This can be explained by a high content of lysine and histidine residues, which have been shown to be the major sites of the reaction. Modification of these residues was shown to be pH dependent. Where crosslinking was greatest, it was shown that the lysine and histidine side chains were bridged by the compound. The non-keratinous proteins derived from the cell membrane complex were shown to react with the XLC crosslinking reagent at pH 6.