Patent ID: 6933381

Claim:
In a process for producing polysaccharide ethers comprising: (i) treating polysaccharide with a basic compound to promote swelling of the polysaccharide; (ii) reacting the polysaccharide with at least one derivatizing agent in a liquid medium comprising at least one organic solvent under conditions effective to promote a reaction between the polysacchaide and the derivatizing agent and form a reaction product comprising a polysaccharide ether, the basic compound and the organic solvent and a residue of the polysaccharide; (iii) treating at least a portion of the reaction product comprising the basic compound with an acidic compound to provide a neutralized liquid comprising a salt of the acidic compound and the basic compound; and (iv) separating the polysaccharide ether from at least one of the reaction product or the neutrailzed liquid: The improvement which comprises: (a) subjecting the neutralized liquid to a first separation at an alkaline pH to separate the salt from the organic solvent and the residue of the polysaccharide and provide a purified, neutralized liquid; and (b) subjecting the purified, neutralized liquid to an electric current and a separation means effective to promote the conversion of the salt to the acidic compound and the basic compound.