With NMMO, cellulose is not derivatized but dissolves to give a homogeneous polymer solution.

The resulting fiber is similar to viscose; this was observed, for example, for Valonia cellulose microfibrils.

NMMO breaks the hydrogen bonding network that keeps cellulose insoluble in water and other solvents.

Similar solubility has been obtained in a few solvents, particularly a mix of lithium chloride in dimethyl acetamide and some hydrophilic ionic liquids.

Vicinal syn-dihydroxylation reactions for example, would, in theory, require stoichiometric amounts of toxic, volatile and expensive osmium tetroxide, but if continuously regenerated with NMO, the amount required can be reduced to catalytic quantities.