Madagascar manna

Dulcitol is no longer obtained in practice from Madagascar manna or other natural sources, but is produced by the catalytic hydrogenation of D-galactose, or, along with sorbitol, of hydrolyzed lactose because of its lower solubility in water it is readily separated from the sorbitol. 

Dulcit in Ger), HO.CH2(CHOH)4.CH2.OH mw 182.17, colorless monoclinic crysts, d 1.466 at 15/4°, mp 188.5°, bp — dec sol in hot w, si sol in cold w v si sol in ale, insol in ether. It occurs naturally in Madagascar manna, from which it. can be extracted with water can also be obtd by treating aqueous sol of lactose or of d-galactose with sodium amalgam. When treated with nitric.acid or with mixed nitric-sulfuric acids it forms nitrates of which tetra-, penta- and hexanitrates are explosive Refs 1) Beil. 1, 544, (286), [612] (24051 2) CondChemDict (1961), p424... 

Dulcite is obtained from Madagascar manna by extraction with water and recrystallizing, large monoclinic prisms, m.p. 188°, less soluble than mannite. It may also be procured by the action of sodium amalgam on aqueous solutions of lactose and of d-galactose. Nitrodulcite, isomeric with nitromannite, crystallizes from alcohol in needles which melt at 94-95°. 

This isomer of sorbitol and mannitol is less soluble and less sweet than the other two compounds. Also it is less available for the multiplicity of uses which mannitol and sorbitol have enjoyed. Dulcitol was first designated as the mannite of Madagascar manna and was shown by Laurent in 1850 to be an isomer of mannitol. It is a meso form. In 1871 Bouchardat synthesized the compound by reducing D-galactose with sodium amalgam. Until ten years ago, the only biological studies available on dulcitol were of a bacteriological nature. At that time the authors studied the fate of dulcitol and dulcitan in the animal body. 

Free compound in plants, in substantial amount in Madagascar manna... 

Galactitol, Dulcitol dulcite dulcose euonymit melampyrite melampyrum melampyrin. CtH(10( mol wt 182.17. C 39.56%, H 7.75%, O 52.70%. Found in dulcite or Madagascar manna (Melampyrum nemorosum L.) and in other species of Melampyrum, Scrophulariaceae. and Evony-mus atropurpureus Jacq., Celastraceae. Isoln Hiitiefeld,... 

AI3-19423 Dulcite Dulcitol D-Dulcitol Dulcose EINECS 210-165-2 Euonymit Galactitol Melampyrin Melampyrit NSC 1944. Occurs in Madagascar manna. Crystals mp = 189.5 bpi = 275-280 d = 1.47 soluble in H2O (3 g/100 ml), slightly soluble in EtOH, C5H5N, insoluble in Et20, CeHe. 

Galactitol (dulcitol) (X) has a widespread distribution and is found in plants ranging from red seaweed and pentose-fermenting yeast Torula utilis) to the mannas of higher plant life. Madagascar manna appears to be... 

Dulcitol occurs in plants (manna from Madagascar). It can also be obtained by reduction of D-galactose or lactose. 

Galactitol (dulcitol), first discovered in manna of Madagascar in 1850, has been extracted from various tissues of several woody plants (137). 

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