[en] Cellulose is a natural polymer, non-toxic, biodegradable and renewable source. With increasing global attention to environmental problems, the chemical modification of cellulose has been evaluated with increasing applicability in various industrial sectors. The cellulose can be chemical modified through the hydroxyl present in their molecules. This paper aims to present the main results in the modification of microcrystalline cellulose. The sample was pure and modified chemically and morphologically characterized by absorption spectroscopy in the infrared (IR) and showed the band in the 1551cm^-1 characterization modification made, X-ray diffraction (XRD) where it was observed that the change led to a reduction significant crystallinity, and determination of average pore radius through the analyzer porosity and surface area resulting in values of 6.97 angstrom for pure sample and 8.62 angstrom for the modified. In addition to these tests we determined the average degree of substitution finding the value of 1.67. (author)