Monosaccharides bromine water

A number of oxidizing agents are used to identify functional groups of carbohydrates, in elucidating their structures, and for syntheses. The most important are (1) Benedicts or Tollens reagents, (2) bromine water, (3) nitric acid, and (4) periodic acid. Each of these reagents produces a different and usually specific effect when it is allowed to react with a monosaccharide. We shall now examine what these effects are. 

Monosaccharides do not undergo isomerization and fragmentation reactions in mildly acidic solution. Thus, a useful oxidizing reagent for preparative purposes is bromine in water (pH 6.0). 

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