Polysaccharides conversion

Starch and cellulose can both be thermochemically degraded in alkaline solution to water-soluble compounds of relatively low molecular weight. (A parallel study examines more completely the nature of these compounds (15).) Both starch and cellulose degradation processes can be described by second-order kinetics, with the hydroxide ion concentration determined by the stoichiometry of polysaccharide conversion to organic acids. The thermochemical degradation activation energy in alkaline solution for both starch and cellulose is 39,500 calories/mole. 

Fructose—Dextrose Separation. Emctose—dextrose separation is an example of the appHcation of adsorption to nonhydrocarbon systems. An aqueous solution of the isomeric monosaccharide sugars, C H 2Dg, fmctose and dextrose (glucose), accompanied by minor quantities of polysaccharides, is produced commercially under the designation of "high" fmctose com symp by the enzymatic conversion of cornstarch. Because fmctose has about double the sweetness index of dextrose, the separation of fmctose from this mixture and the recycling of dextrose for further enzymatic conversion to fmctose is of commercial interest (see Sugar Sweeteners). 

There are many different routes to organic chemicals from biomass because of its high polysaccharide content and reactivity. The practical value of the conversion processes selected for commercial use with biomass will depend strongly on the availabiUty and price of the same chemicals produced from petroleum and natural gas. 

Conversely, if we know the molecular weight we can make inferences about the conformation of polysaccharides in solution using Eq. 13 and other power-law relations. We will consider this in more detail after we have considered further molecular weight measurement by absolute (i.e. without assumptions concerning conformation) procedures. 

Fine and specialty chemicals can be obtained from renewable resonrces via multi-step catalytic conversion from platform molecules obtained by fermentation. An alternative method decreasing the processing cost is to carry out one-pot catalytic conversion to final product without intermediate product recovery. This latter option is illustrated by an iimovative oxidation method developed in our laboratory to oxidize native polysaccharides to obtain valuable hydrophilic end-products useful for various technical applications. 

We may return now to the polysaccharides present in the peanut for a brief consideration of the relationship of the other components present in the pectic materials to the araban constituent. All the evidence indicates that the pectic acid portion of the peanut is identical with normal pectic acid and, as was indicated in the previous section, this material, which is very stable to acid hydrolysis and possesses a high positive rotation contains a main chain which is built up of D-galac-turonic acid residues of the pyranose type. If, therefore, the araban associated with the pectic acid had been derived directly from the pectic acid by decarboxylation without intermediate hydrolysis of the poly-galacturonide, the sugar residues in the araban should also be in the pyranose form. The experimental evidence shows clearly, however, that the arabinose residues in araban are furanose in type and it follows that any hypothesis concerning the direct conversion of pectic acid into the araban by decarboxylation is untenable. 

Topper and Lipton147a studied the dilution effect of unlabeled D-gluco-sone on the incorporation of C14, from D-glucose-l-C14, into the capsular polysaccharide of streptococci. Their results appeared to confirm that D-glucosone might be an intermediate in the conversion of D-glucose into... 

Over the past two decades, considerable interest has been directed toward the conversion of cellulosic biomass (such materials as wood wastes, bagasse, and straw) into useful products, notably fuels. Several procedures, including fermentation, gasification, liquefaction, and pyrolysis, have been commercially applied to carbohydrates with various degrees of success. In order to use the polysaccharides present in lignocel-lulosic materials as a substrate in fermentation processes, pretreatments are necessary, such as with steam (under slightly acid conditions) or... 

Here we report an overview of the different heterogeneously-catalyzed pathways designed for the selective conversion of carbohydrates. On the basis of these results, we shall try to determine the key parameters allowing a better control of the reaction selectivity. Water being commonly used as solvent in carbohydrate chemistry, we will also discuss the stability of solid catalysts in the aqueous phase. In this review, heterogeneously-catalyzed hydrolysis, dehydration, oxidation, esterification, and etherification of monosaccharides and polysaccharides are reported. 

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