Carbohydrate-metal salt complexes preparation

Adducts prepared in aqueous media generally possess one or more molecules of water of hydration per molecule, the number being a function of cation, anion, and the combining ratio of carbohydrate to salt. Available data on complexes of simple carbohydrates indicate that three molecules of water per molecule may be the maximum for adducts of alkali metal salts as many as seven have been reported for those of the alkaline-earth metal salts. Most complexes, however, possess only one or two molecules per molecule. Generally, the higher the combining ratio, the smaller is the number of water molecules that can be accommodated by a molecule of the adduct. 

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