anthraquinone (aq) reduces the rate of alkaline degradation of cotton and bagasse celluloses. this is due to the stabilization effect of aq on the cellulose macromolecules. the d.p. values for the resulting oxycelluloses were in the order. alkali-aq-treated cotton $greater than$ alkali-aq-treated bagasse $greater than$ alkali-treated bagasse $greater than$ alkali treated cotton. thus, intracrystalline linkage with aq is more efficient in chain stabilization in the alkaline degradation of cellulose than the intercrystalline linkages. this is because the latter is usually followed by intracrystalline degradation of decrystallized cellulose chains without aq links. furthermore, the bulky units of aq penetrate within the cellulose chains, separate them further apart and thus enhance decrystallization and accessibility. also, many factors were found to affect the reactivity of the oxycelluloses obtained, namely, the chain length, availability of active groups and the extents of decrystallization and oxidation. (author abstract) 6 refs