Oxidation of Simple Sugars with Halogens

When bromine or chlorine is added to water, physical solution occurs followed by hydrolysis and formation of the corresponding hypohalous acid. In strongly acid solution 

However, the reaction can be shifted to the right by removal of the hydrogen halide the hypohalous acids can thus be prepared by addition of compounds such as mercuric oxide, silver nitrate or silver phosphate  

Similarly, 1% solutions of hypobromous acid may be distilled at atmospheric pressure and 3% solutions may be prepared by distillation under reduced pressure at temperatures below 30°. However, the hypobromous acid tends to decompose during the distillation, due to two simultaneous, but independent side reactions (5 and 6). In the dark at 15 , reaction 5 predominates it is independent of the pH. 

It is practically impossible to prepare a solution of hypobromous acid of known concentration, due to these reactions. 

Solutions of hypoiodous acid cannot be distilled they are very unstable and form iodic acid in a manner analogous to reaction 5 above. Their decomposition is accelerated by iodides and reducing agents. 

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