A novel, colourless, water soluble, anionic cross‐linking agent, 2,4‐diacrylamidobenzenesulphonic acid, has been synthesised, applied to lyocell by a pad–steam method and the wet abrasion resistance measured. The agent furnished cross‐linked lyocell fibres with good wet abrasion resistance and stable lyocell–agent bonds to subsequent hot exhaust reactive dyeing conditions. Surprisingly, the fibre–agent bonds showed some instability to polyester dyeing conditions at pH 4.5 and 5.0. This is rationalised in terms of hydrolysis of the amide bond ortho to the sulphonic acid group via a neighbouring group participation mechanism.

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Three known fibre crosslinking agents have been chemically modified in an attempt to correct technical and/or application deficiencies. The novel agents have been applied, in turn, to lyocell fibre by an exhaustion process, the wet abrasion resistance of each modified fibre measured and the results compared with Cibatex AE 4425 and with the bis‐sulphatoethylsulphone dye Remazol Black B. Agents carrying the m‐carboxypyridinium‐1,3,5‐triazine‐2‐oxido group were not of interest as they produced pale yellow fibres due to ring opening of the pyridinium ring during alkali fixation. The best all‐round performer was 2,4‐di(p‐β‐sulphatoethylsulphonyl)anilino‐1,3,5‐triazin‐2(1H)‐one.

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A number of benzeneacrylamido compounds, each with at least one sulphonic acid or carboxylic acid group, have been synthesised and converted to the corresponding methyl ethers. The derivatives were then subjected to high temperature polyester dyeing conditions (130 °C) in pH 4.0 buffer solution for 1 h. Derivatives with sulphonic acid groups meta or para to the amide links proved to be hydrolytically stable to the high temperature treatment, whereas derivatives with either an ortho sulphonic acid or carboxylic acid substituent underwent significant amide hydrolysis. This is consistent with previous findings and with a neighbouring group participation mechanism. Accordingly, benzeneacrylamido cross‐linking agents for lyocell fibres, designed to be hydrolytically stable to a range of high temperature polyester dyeing conditions appropriate for polyester/lyocell blends, should be devoid of ortho sulphonic acid or carboxylic acid substituents.