CELLULOSE ESTERS ARE THE reaction product of combining organic acids and acid anhydrides with the hydroxyl groups found on the anhydroglucose repeating units of a cellulose molecule. The esterification of the cellulose with the acids and anhydrides occurs quite rapidly and if allowed to proceed to completion, forms a triester with each of the anhydroglucose units, which contain three hydroxyl groups. Because the triester is of little practical use, hydrolysis is necessary to restore desired levels of hydroxyl content, which affects various properties of the cellulose ester such as solubility and compatibility with other coating polymers.