Glucose Synthesis
Not what you're looking for?
Glucose is soluble in benzene. If alpha-D-glucose is dissolved in benzene, essentially no alpha-D-glucose is formed. However, if small amounts of phenol and pyridine are added, then the equillibrium amount of alpha-D-glucose is formed but slowly. If, to a solution of alpha-D-glucose in benzene, a small amount of 2-hydroxy-pyridine is added, the equilibrium amount of alpha-D-glucose is formed much more rapidly than when the small amount of phenol and pyridine were added. If a small amount of 4-hydroxypyridine is added to a solution of alpha-D-glucose , the rate of the formation of alpha;-D-glucose isn't any different from the rate of reaction when a small amount of phenol and pyridine are added. Fully explain all these observations.
Purchase this Solution
Solution Summary
This solution explains several observations, addressing glucose, benzene, 2-hydroxypyridine and D-glucose.
Solution Preview
The mutarotation of alpha-D-glucose into beta-D-glucose takes place rapidly in a polar solvent, such as water. The reason that mutarotation takes place in a polar solvent is because the ring form of alpha-D-glucose must open up to form the open-chain, and then cyclicize again to form the hemiacetal beta-D-glucose isomer.
Benzene is a nonpolar solvent; and therefore, we would not expect to see any mutarotation of glucose in a benzene solvent.
But, phenol is a weak acid and pyridine is a weak base. Therefore, when they are added in small quantities to benzene, they can react together in a typical acid/base reaction. The hydrogen of the -OH on phenol gets picked off by ...
Purchase this Solution
Free BrainMass Quizzes
General Chemistry - Classification of Matter
This test will assess your knowledge on the classification of matter which includes elements, compounds and mixtures.
Organic Chemistry Naming: Alkanes
This is a quiz which is designed to assist students with learning the nomenclature used to identify organic compounds. This quiz focuses on the organic compounds called Alkanes.
Functional groups in Organic Chemistry
You will be tested on the names of functional groups in Organic Chemistry. It is very important to know the functional groups to understand Organic reactions.
Match Elements with their Symbols
Elements are provided: choose the matching one- or two-letter symbol for each element.