Highly dispersed starch substrate

The oxidative cleavage of v/c-diols to give two carbonyl functions (Eq. 5.3) by periodates was first observed by Malaprade and has since been widely applied to the carbohydrate area.50 Since both the reagent sodium periodate and the carbohydrate substrate are water soluble, the reaction is usually carried out in aqueous media.51 The reaction has been applied to polysaccharides such as starch.52 The periodate oxidations of sodium alginate in water as well as a dispersion in 1 1 ethanol-water mixture have been compared.53 Because sodium alginate forms a highly viscous solution, the oxidation was observed to be more extensive in ethanol-water. 

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