1 - Ascending synthesis of monosaccharides

Abstract

This chapter describes the reactions applicable to the chain extension of carbohydrates. One of the reactions discussed is formose reaction. This reaction, discovered in the late nineteenth century, has been thoroughly investigated with the goal of obtaining carbohydrates with total synthesis in the food industry and astronautics. When the most simple aldehyde, or formaldehyde, is treated with alkali, a sugar-like syrup is produced. These complex mixtures of sugars and branched-chain sugars, produced from formaldehyde with self-condensation, are called formose. The formose reaction leads to the possible formation of stereoisomeric sugars, and yields of the isolation of individual substances are essentially dependent on the specific reaction conditions. The primary product of the formose reaction is glycolaldehyde. A basically simple reaction scheme of the formose reaction is also illustrated in the chapter.