Oxidation with Chlorous Acid and the Chlorites

An attempt was made by Jeanes and Isbell to evaluate their experimental data (Table XII) and to determine the mechanism of the reaction of chlorites with aldoses. Two of the experiments were carried out in acid solution at 0° and 20°, and the third in neutral media, as with the experiments in Table XI. Reaction 41 was believed to express the course of the oxidation in highly acid solution. The deviations, as expressed in higher consumption of chlorous acid and in higher yields of chloride, are 

RCHO -t- 3HCIO2 -3HCIO2 -2RCHO -t- HCIO2 -2CIO2 -t- H2O - 

In neutral solution very little chlorate shovild be produced, since chlorites in aqueous solution are stable in the absence of reducing agents. However Experiment III in Table XII does not bear out this conclusion. 

Oxidation of Aldoses in Neutral Chlorite Solution (Calculated by the author from data of Jeanes and IsbelP ) 

AIdose Initial amount of aldose Amount of aldose oxidized Ca aldonate isolated Per cent of theory Ca oxalate isolated  

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