Process for the Alkaline Oxidative Degradation of Reducing Sugars

Patent Process for the Alkaline Oxidative Degradation of Reducing Sugars 

Dextrose monohydrate (1.71 mol glucose) was dissolved in 7.0 liters water and introduced into a Biolafitte glass fermenter tank having a working capacity of 15 liters. The solution was aerated with an air flow rate of 20 liters/minute while stirring 650 rev/minute at 40°C. 

Three additional solutions are also prepared. The first was a glucose solution containing 50% solids, prepared using 1443.4 g dextrose monohydrate and 1181 g water, thus containing 7.92 mol of glucose. The second was a 50% NaOH solution consisting of 840 g NaOH and 840 g water. The third was sodium anthraquinone 2-sulfonate (24 g) dissolved in 110 volumes of 30% H2O2. 

Sodium anthraquinone 2-sulfonate (SAM) is the reaction indicator. In the oxidized form it causes the solution to become deep red it is colorless in the reduced state. 

This oxidative method is a modified Spengler-Pfannenstiel (1) reaction (1). This reaction is illustrated in Eq. 1 and described for the preparation of 3-(a-D-glucosido)-D-arabonic acid below. 

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