Sucrochemicals, applications

Y. Queneau, S. Jarosz, B. Lewandowski, and J. Fitremann, Sucrose chemistry and applications of sucrochemicals, Adv. Carbohydr. Chem. Biochem., 61 (2007) 217-292. 

Feedstock for Chemical Synthesis. It is estimated that <0.5% of the sucrose produced each year is used for nonfood purposes (41). An alternative application, namely the production of chemicals, is an attractive option as the feedstock is plentiful, renewable, and of consistendy high purity. Moreover, the biodegradability of many sucrochemicals makes them environmentally friendly. 

Queneau Y, Jarosz S, Lewandowski B, Fitremann J. Sucrose chemistry and applications of sucrochemicals. Adv Carbohydr Chem Biochem 2007 61 218-292. Stanek J, Cerny M, Pacak J. The Oligosaccharides. Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, Prague, 1965. 

I want to spend the remaining part of my presentation drawing attention to a second important application of the pulse Fourier transform technique - namely the measurement of the spin-lattice relaxation rates (Rl-values) of the proton and l c nuclei of carbohydrate derivatives in general, and of sucrochemicals in particular - which is the fourth of the five n.m.r. parameters listed in Table I. 

Basic chemical research, best done in academic institutions or by contract research organizations, was needed first in order to obtain sucrochemicals of the nature envisioned by Dr. Hass. Thus, early work in sucrochemistry was funded by the Sugar Research Foundation in such research laboratories. An exploratory project oriented towards discovering the fundamental chemistry of sucrose and other carbohydrates had been supported previously at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1943 to 1950. The main purpose of the project, however, was to train carbohydrate chemists and to apply classical carbohydrate chemistry more broadly to sucrose and its close relatives. None of the derivatives produced and studied were found to be of practical importance in later sucrochemical studies, although a number of patent applications were filed and patents issued. Some of these studies were continued in several other laboratories during the early 1950 s, and a number of additional studies were undertaken to elucidate the relative reactivities of the various reactive entities, determine reaction kinetics and to try to make new and possibly useful derivatives. An intensive search was undertaken to find mutual solvents for both hydrophilic sucrose and hydrophobic reactants. 

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