Flow birefringence and electrical (pulse field) birefringence have been measured for molecules of highly substituted chitin nitrates in DMF solutions. The length of the Kuhn segment A = (250±30) × 10-8 cm was determined as well as the optical anisotropy Δa = -(12±1) × 10-25cm3 and the longitudinal dipole component μ01 = 0·3 D for the monomer units. Comparing conformational properties of highly substituted nitroesters of various chemical types it was found that the intrinsic anisotropy is higher for chitin nitrate molecules compared with cellulose nitrates; in addition, the molecules are less stable in solutions and less prone to form complexes compared with the latter. © 1985.