Glucose translated from Greek means "sweet". In nature in large quantities it is found in the juices of berries and fruits, including grape juice, which is why it is popularly called "wine sugar".

Discovery history

Glucose was discovered in early XIX century English doctor, chemist and philosopher William Prout. Widespread fame this substance was obtained after Henri Braccono extracted it from sawdust in 1819.

Physical Properties

Glucose is a colorless crystalline powder with a sweet taste. It is highly soluble in water, concentrated sulfuric acid, and Schweitzer's reagent.

The structure of the molecule

Like all monosaccharides, glucose is a heterofunctional compound (the molecule contains several hydroxyl and one carboxyl group). In the case of glucose, the carboxyl group is an aldehyde.

The general formula for glucose is C6H12O6. The molecules of this substance have a cyclic structure and two spatial isomers of alpha and beta forms. In the solid state, the alpha form predominates almost 100%. In solution, the beta form is more stable (it occupies approximately 60%). Glucose is the end product of the hydrolysis of all poly- and disaccharides, that is, the production of glucose occurs in the vast majority of cases in this way.

Getting a substance

In nature, glucose is formed in plants as a result of photosynthesis. Consider industrial and laboratory methods obtaining glucose. In the laboratory, this substance is the result of aldol condensation. In industry, the most common way is to obtain glucose from starch.

Starch is a polysaccharide, the monoparts of which are glucose molecules. That is, to obtain it, it is necessary to decompose the polysaccharide into monoparts. How is this process carried out?

Obtaining glucose from starch begins with the fact that the starch is placed in a container of water and mixed (starch milk). Bring another container of water to a boil. It is worth noting that boiling water should be twice as much as starched milk. In order for the reaction to produce glucose to go to completion, a catalyst is needed. AT this case it is salt water or The calculated amount is added to a container of boiling water. Then the starch milk is slowly poured in. AT this process it is very important not to get a paste, if nevertheless it is formed, you should continue boiling until it disappears completely. On average, boiling takes an hour and a half. In order to be sure that the starch is completely hydrolyzed, it is necessary to carry out qualitative reaction. Iodine is added to the selected sample. If the liquid becomes blue in color, then the hydrolysis is not completed, but if it becomes brown or red-brown, then there is no more starch in the solution. But in this solution there is not only glucose, it was obtained with the help of a catalyst, which means that acid also has a place to be. How to remove acid? The answer is simple: by neutralizing with pure chalk and finely crushed porcelain.

Neutralization is checked Next, the resulting solution is filtered. The point is small: the resulting colorless liquid should be evaporated. The formed crystals are our final result. Now consider the production of glucose from starch (reaction).

The chemical essence of the process

This glucose production equation is presented before intermediate product- maltose. Maltose is a disaccharide consisting of two glucose molecules. It is clearly seen that the methods for obtaining glucose from starch and from maltose are the same. That is, in continuation of the reaction, we can put the following equation.

In conclusion, it is worth summarizing the necessary conditions in order to successfully extract glucose from starch.

The necessary conditions

• catalyst (hydrochloric or sulfuric acid);
• temperature (at least 100 degrees);
• pressure (atmospheric is enough, but increasing pressure speeds up the process).

This method the simplest, with a high yield of the final product and minimal energy costs. But he's not the only one. Glucose is also obtained from cellulose.

Preparation from cellulose

The essence of the process almost completely corresponds to the previous reaction.

The preparation of glucose (formula) from cellulose is given. In fact, this process is much more complicated and energy-intensive. So, the reaction product is waste from the wood processing industry, crushed to a fraction, the particle size of which is 1.1 - 1.6 mm. This product is processed first acetic acid, then hydrogen peroxide, then sulfuric acid at a temperature not lower than 110 degrees and hydromodule 5. The duration of this process is 3-5 hours. Then, for two hours, hydrolysis takes place with sulfuric acid at room temperature and hydronic module 4-5. This is followed by dilution with water and inversion for about an hour and a half.

Quantification methods

Having considered all the ways to obtain glucose, you should study the methods of its quantification. There are situations when technological process only a solution containing glucose should participate, that is, the process of evaporating the liquid until crystals are obtained is superfluous. Then the question arises, how to determine what concentration of a given substance in a solution. The resulting amount of glucose in solution is determined by spectrophotometric, polarimetric and chromatographic methods. There is more specific method definitions - enzymatic (using the enzyme glucosidase). In this case, the calculation is already the products of the action of this enzyme.

Application of glucose

In medicine, glucose is used for intoxication (it can be both food poisoning and infection activity). In this case, the glucose solution is administered intravenously using a dropper. This means that in pharmacy, glucose is a universal antioxidant. Also not small role this substance plays in the detection and diagnosis of diabetes mellitus. Here glucose acts as a stress test.

AT Food Industry and cooking glucose takes a very important place. Separately, the role of glucose in winemaking, beer and moonshine production should be indicated. It's about about such a method as obtaining ethanol Let us consider this process in detail.

Getting alcohol

Alcohol production technology has two stages: fermentation and distillation. Fermentation, in turn, is carried out with the help of bacteria. In biotechnology, cultures of microorganisms have long been bred, which allow you to get the maximum yield of alcohol with the minimum amount of time spent. In everyday life, ordinary table yeast can be used as reaction assistants.

First of all, glucose is diluted in water. The microorganisms used are diluted in another container. Further, the resulting liquids are mixed, shaken and placed in a container with This tube is connected to another ( U shape). In the middle of the second tube is poured. The end of the tube is closed with a rubber stopper with a hollow glass rod having a drawn end.

This container is placed in a thermostat at a temperature of 25-27 degrees for four days. Turbidity will be observed in a tube with lime water, which indicates that carbon dioxide has reacted with it. Once carbon dioxide ceases to stand out, fermentation can be considered finished. Next comes the distillation step. In the laboratory for the distillation of alcohol, reflux condensers are used - devices in which a cold water, thereby cooling the resulting gas and converting it back into a liquid.

On the this stage the liquid that is in our container should be heated to 85-90 degrees. Thus, the alcohol will evaporate, but the water will not be brought to a boil.

The mechanism for obtaining alcohol

Consider the production of alcohol from glucose in the reaction equation: C6H12O6 \u003d 2C2H5OH + 2CO2.

So, it can be noted that the mechanism for producing ethanol from glucose is very simple. Moreover, it has been known to mankind for many centuries, and brought almost to perfection.

The value of glucose in human life

So, having a certain idea about this substance, its physical and chemical properties, use in different areas industry, we can conclude what glucose is. Getting it from polysaccharides already gives an understanding that, being the main component of all sugars, glucose is an indispensable source of energy for humans. As a result of metabolism, adenosine triphosphoric acid is formed from this substance, which is converted into a unit of energy.

But not all glucose that enters the body man goes to replenish energy. In the waking state, a person converts only 50 percent of the received glucose into ATP. The rest is converted to glycogen and stored in the liver. Glycogen breaks down over time, thereby regulating blood sugar levels. Quantitatively, the content of this substance in the body is a direct indicator of its health. The hormonal functioning of all systems depends on the amount of sugar in the blood. Therefore, it is worth remembering that excessive use of this substance can lead to serious consequences.

Glucose at first glance is a simple and understandable substance. Even from the point of view of chemistry, its molecules have a fairly simple structure, and the chemical properties are clear and familiar in everyday life. However, despite this, glucose great importance both for the person himself and for all spheres of his life.

The most important of the monosaccharides is glucose C 6 H 12 O 6, which is otherwise called grape sugar. It is a white crystalline substance, sweet in taste, highly soluble in water. Glucose is found in plant and living organisms, its content is especially high in grape juice (hence the name - grape sugar), in honey, as well as in ripe fruits and berries.

The structure of glucose is derived from the study of its chemical properties. So, glucose exhibits properties inherent in alcohols: it forms alcoholates (saccharates) with metal, an acetic acid ester containing five acid residues (according to the number of hydroxyl groups). Therefore, glucose is a polyhydric alcohol. With ammonia solution silver oxide, it gives the reaction " silver mirror", indicating the presence of an aldehyde group at the end of the carbon chain. Therefore, glucose is an aldehyde alcohol, its molecule can have the structure

However, not all properties are consistent with its structure as an aldehyde alcohol. So, glucose does not give some reactions of aldehydes. One hydroxyl out of five is characterized by the greatest reactivity, and the replacement of hydrogen in it by a methyl radical leads to the disappearance of the aldehyde properties of the substance. All this led to the conclusion that, along with the aldehyde form, there are cyclic forms of glucose molecules (α-cyclic and β-cyclic), which differ in the position of the hydroxyl groups relative to the plane of the ring. The cyclic structure of the glucose molecule is crystalline state, but in aqueous solutions it exists in various forms, mutually transforming into each other:

As you can see, the aldehyde group is absent in the cyclic forms. The hydroxyl group at the first carbon atom is the most reactive. The cyclic form of carbohydrates explains many of their chemical properties.

On an industrial scale, glucose is produced by the hydrolysis of starch (in the presence of acids). Its production from wood (cellulose) has also been mastered.

Glucose is valuable nutrient. When it is oxidized in the tissues, the energy necessary for the normal functioning of organisms is released. The oxidation reaction can be expressed by the overall equation:

C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6 O 2 → 6CO 2 + 6H 2 O

Glucose is used in medicine for the preparation of medicinal preparations, blood preservation, intravenous infusion etc. It is widely used in the confectionery industry, in the production of mirrors and toys (silvering). It is used for dyeing and finishing fabrics and leathers.

Glucose is a natural monosaccharide, otherwise called grape sugar.. Contained in some berry crops and fruits. A large amount of the substance is part of the grape juice, hence its name. Why is glucose useful for a person, what is its significance for health?

Significance for the body

Glucose is a colorless, sweet-tasting substance that dissolves in water. Penetrating into the stomach, it breaks down into fructose. Glucose in the human body is needed for exercise photochemical reactions : it carries energy to cells and participates in the process of metabolism.

Useful properties of a crystalline substance:

• promotes smooth operation cell structures;
• entering the cells, the monosaccharide enriches them with energy, stimulates intracellular interactions, resulting in the oxidation process and biochemical reactions.

The element is able to synthesize itself in the body. Made from simple carbohydrates medical supplies designed to make up for its lack in the body.

Release form

Grape sugar is produced in different forms:

• In the form of tablets. Glucose tablets are useful for improving general well-being, increasing physical and mental abilities.
• In the form of a solution for setting droppers. It is used to normalize water-salt and acid-base balance.
• In solution for intravenous injection. Used to increase osmotic pressure as a diuretic and vasodilator.

Opinions about grape sugar are conflicting. Some argue that the substance provokes obesity, others consider it a source of energy, without which healthy person not a day is enough. What are the benefits and harms of glucose for the body?

Benefit

AT circulatory system human substance must always be present. Simple carbohydrate penetrates into internal organs along with food.

Dissolving in the digestive tract, food decomposes into fats, protein compounds and carbohydrates. The latter, in turn, are broken down into glucose and fructose, which, penetrating into the bloodstream, spread through the cells and internal organs.

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The product has positive properties:

• participates in metabolic processes. With its deficiency, people feel malaise, loss of strength and drowsiness;
• is the main source of energy. By taking a small amount of glucose-containing food, you can restore strength;
• normalizes the work of the heart;
• used for medical purposes in the treatment of many diseases: hypoglycemia, poisoning, brain pathologies, liver diseases, infectious diseases;
• nourishes the brain. This monosaccharide is the main food for the brain. With its lack, there may be a deterioration in mental abilities, difficulty concentrating;
• satisfies the feeling of hunger;
• relieves stress.

Carbohydrate can correct psycho-emotional state, improve mood and calm the nervous system.

Harm

Glucose can harm the body. Patients with metabolic disorders, as well as the elderly, should not abuse foods containing a large amount of carbohydrates. An excess of a substance can lead to negative consequences:

• the occurrence of body fat, obesity;
• disorder of the metabolic process;
• disruption of the pancreas, which, in turn, negatively affects the synthesis of insulin;
• an increase in the amount of cholesterol in the blood, atherosclerosis;
• the formation of blood clots;
• occurrence of allergic reactions.

Norm and consequences of deviation

The required rate of glucose in the body is 3.4-6.2 mmol / l. Any deviation from the acceptable limits can cause severe disorders.

With a deficiency of insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, the substance is not absorbed in the body, does not penetrate the cells and is concentrated in the circulatory system. This leads to starvation of cellular structures and their death. This state is a serious pathology, and in medicine is called diabetes mellitus.

With an unbalanced diet, long-term diets, as well as under the influence of certain diseases, a person's blood sugar level may decrease. This threatens the deterioration of mental abilities, anemia, as well as the development of hypoglycemia. Lack of sugar negatively affects the functioning of the brain, and also adversely affects the functioning of the whole organism.

An excess of monosaccharide is fraught with the development of diabetes mellitus, damage to the nervous system, organs of vision.

Excess substances, penetrating into the bloodstream, adversely affect the vessels, which entails a deterioration in the functions of vital organs. Subsequently, this can lead to the appearance of atherosclerosis, heart failure, blindness, and kidney pathology.

That's why Glucose-containing foods should be consumed, adhering to allowable rate .

The daily norm of glucose is calculated based on the weight of the patient: a person weighing 70 kg needs 182 g of the substance. To calculate your need for sugar, you need to multiply body weight by 2.6.

Who is assigned

In some cases, additional glucose intake is required. Often experts prescribe a remedy in tablets for poor nutrition. In addition, it is used:

• during pregnancy, with insufficient fetal weight;
• during intoxication with drugs and chemicals;
• in hypertensive crisis, severe fall blood pressure, as well as the deterioration of the blood supply to some organs;
• to restore the body after poisoning and dehydration resulting from diarrhea and vomiting;
• during the recovery period after operations;
• with a drop in the amount of sugar in the blood, hypoglycemia, diabetes mellitus;
• with liver pathologies, intestinal infections, increased bleeding;
• after prolonged infectious diseases.

Ascorbic acid with glucose is especially useful for a growing organism. Deficiency of the product during the active growth of children can lead to skeletal muscle dystrophy and tooth decay.

Besides, the use of tablets will help replace the lost vitamin C in smokers that lose it during smoking.

Overdose

Highly backfire for human life, an excess of the permissible norm by 4 times can turn out. With the abuse of sugar and other sugar-containing products, flatulence, vomiting, and diarrhea may occur.

An overdose of glucose for diabetics is extremely dangerous, which can cause various complications. You can suspect an excess of an element by the symptoms:

• frequent need to urinate;
• failure of the heart;
• visual impairment;
• disturbance of consciousness;
• dry mouth;
• intense thirst;
• lethargy, loss of strength;
• itching of the skin.

These signs appear, as a rule, in isolated cases of exceeding the dose.

In people with diabetes, the likelihood of complications of the course of the disease increases. Most often, diabetics are concerned about difficult-to-heal wounds, brittle bones, thrombosis, muscle pain, and high cholesterol.

Thus, the content of glucose in the blood must be at a certain level. Any deviation from the norm provokes a breakdown in work. endocrine system and metabolic disorders, which, in turn, negatively affect the general condition.

is a natural dextrose found in berries and fruits. The main content of this substance can be found in grape juice, which is why the substance got its second name - sweet grape sugar.

Glucose is found in large quantities in fruits and berries.

Glucose is monosaccharides with hexose. The composition includes starch, glycogen, cellulose, lactose, sucrose and maltose. Once in, grape sugar is also broken down into fructose.

The crystallized substance is colorless, but with a pronounced sweet taste. Glucose is able to dissolve in water, especially in zinc chloride and sulfuric acid.

This allows you to create based on grape sugar medical preparations to make up for his deficiency. Compared to fructose and sucrose, this monosaccharide is less sweet.

Significance in the life of animals and humans

Why is glucose so important in the body and why is it needed? In nature, this chemical is involved in the process of photosynthesis.

This is because glucose is able to bind and transport energy to cells. In the body of living beings, glucose, thanks to the energy produced, plays important role in metabolic processes. Main benefits of glucose:

• Grape sugar is an energy fuel, thanks to which cells are able to function smoothly.
• In 70%, glucose enters the human body through complex carbohydrates, which, getting into, break down fructose, galactose and dextrose. The rest of the body produces this chemical, using its own stored reserves.
• Glucose penetrates into the cell, saturates it with energy, due to which intracellular reactions develop. Metabolic oxidation and biochemical reactions take place.

Many cells in the body are capable of producing grape sugar on their own, but not the brain. An important organ cannot synthesize glucose, therefore it receives nutrition directly through the blood.

The norm of glucose in the blood, for the normal functioning of the brain, should not be lower than 3.0 mmol / l.

Surplus and deficiency

Overeating can cause excess glucose.

Glucose is not absorbed without insulin, a hormone that is produced in.

If there is a deficiency of insulin in the body, then glucose is not able to penetrate into the cells. It remains unprocessed in human blood and is enclosed in an eternal cycle.

As a rule, with a lack of grape sugar, the cells weaken, starve and die. This relationship is studied in detail in medicine. Now this condition is classified as a serious disease and is called it.

In the absence of insulin and glucose, not all cells die, but only those that are not able to independently absorb the monosaccharide. There are also insulin-independent cells. Glucose in them is absorbed without insulin.

These include brain tissue, muscles, red blood cells. The nutrition of these cells is carried out at the expense of incoming carbohydrates. It can be seen that during starvation or poor nutrition, a person changes significantly mental capacity, weakness, anemia (anemia) appears.

According to statistics, glucose deficiency occurs in only 20%, the remaining percentage is accounted for by an excess of the hormone and monosaccharide. This phenomenon is directly related to overeating. The body is unable to break down the in large numbers carbohydrates, because of which it simply begins to store glucose and other monosaccharides.

If glucose is stored in the body for a long time, it will be converted into glycogen, which is stored in the muscles. In this situation, the body falls into stressful condition when there is too much glucose.

Since the body cannot independently remove a large amount of grape sugar, it simply deposits it in adipose tissue, due to which a person is rapidly gaining excess weight. This whole process requires a lot of energy (breakdown, conversion of glucose, deposition), so there is constant feeling hunger and a person consumes carbohydrates 3 times more.

For this reason, it is important to use glucose correctly. Not only in diets, but also in proper nutrition it is recommended to include complex carbohydrates in the diet, which are slowly broken down and evenly saturate the cells. Applying simple carbohydrates, the release of grape sugar in large quantities begins, which immediately fills the adipose tissue. Simple and complex carbohydrates:

1. Simple:, confectionery, honey, sugar, jams and jams, carbonated drinks, white bread, sweet vegetables and fruits, syrups.
2. Complex: found in beans (peas, beans, lentils), cereals, beets, potatoes, carrots, nuts, seeds, pasta, cereals and cereals, black and rye bread, pumpkin.

Use of glucose

For several decades, mankind has learned how to get glucose in large quantities. For this, cellulose and starch hydrolysis are used. In medicine, glucose-based drugs are classified as metabolic and detoxifying.

They are able to restore and improve metabolism, and also have a beneficial effect on redox processes. The main form of release is a sublimated combination and a liquid solution.

Who benefits from glucose

Regular consumption of glucose affects the weight of the baby in the womb.

The monosaccharide does not always enter the body with food, especially if the food is poor and not combined. Indications for the use of glucose:

• During pregnancy and suspected low fetal weight. Regular consumption of glucose affects the weight of the baby in the womb.
• With intoxication of the body. For example, chemicals such as arsenic, acids, phosgene, carbon monoxide. Glucose is also prescribed for overdose and drug poisoning.
• With collapse and hypertensive crisis.
• After poisoning as a restorative agent. Especially with dehydration against the background, vomiting or in the postoperative period.
• Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. Suitable for diabetes, checked regularly with glucometers and analyzers.
• Diseases of the liver, intestinal pathologies against the background of infections, with hemorrhagic diathesis.
• It is used as a restorative agent after prolonged infectious diseases.

Release form

There are three forms of glucose release:

1. intravenous solution. It is prescribed to increase osmotic blood pressure, as a diuretic, to dilate blood vessels, to relieve swelling of tissues and remove excess fluid, to restore the metabolic process in the liver, and also as nutrition for the myocardium and heart valves. Produced in the form of dried grape sugar, which dissolves in concentrates with different percentages.
2. . Assigned to improve general condition, physical and intellectual activity. Acts as a sedative and vasodilator. One tablet contains at least 0.5 grams of dry glucose.
3. Solutions for infusions (droppers, systems). Assign to restore water-electrolyte and acid-base balance. Also used in dry form with a concentrated solution.

How to check your blood sugar level, learn from the video:

Contraindications and side effects

Glucose is not prescribed for people suffering from diabetes and pathologies that increase blood sugar levels. With the wrong appointment or self-medication, acute heart failure, loss of appetite and violation of the insular apparatus may occur.

It is also impossible to inject glucose intramuscularly, as this can cause necrosis of the subcutaneous fat. With the rapid introduction of a liquid solution, hyperglucosuria, hypervolemia, osmotic diuresis and hyperglycemia may occur.

Unusual uses of glucose

Glucose is used in baking for softness and freshness of the product.

In the form of syrup, grape sugar is added to the dough when baking bread. Because of this, the bread is able to be stored at home for a long time, not stale or dry out.

You can also make such bread, but using glucose in ampoules. Grape sugar in a liquid candied form is added to baked goods, such as muffins or cakes.

Glucose provides softness and long-lasting freshness to confectionery products. Dextrose is also an excellent preservative.

Eye baths, or rinsing, with a dextrose-based solution. This method helps to get rid of vascularized corneal opacity, especially after keratitis. Baths are used according to strict instructions to prevent delamination of the cornea layer. Also, glucose is dripped into the eye, using in the form of homemade drops or diluted.

Used for finishing textiles. Weak solution glucose is used as a top dressing for withering plants. For this, grape sugar is purchased in an ampoule or dry form, added to water (1 ampoule: 1 liter). Such water is regularly watered with flowers as it dries. Thanks to this, the plants will again become green, strong and healthy.

Dry glucose syrup is added to baby food. Also used during diets. It is important to monitor your health at any age, so it is recommended to pay attention to the amount of monosaccharides that are eaten along with easily digestible carbohydrates.

With a deficiency or excess of glucose, failures occur in the cardiovascular, endocrine, nervous system, while significantly reducing brain activity, violated metabolic processes and the immune system deteriorates. Help your body using only healthy foods such as fruits, honey, vegetables and cereals. Limit yourself from unnecessary calories that enter the body along with waffles, cookies, pastries and cakes.

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Glucose C 6 H 12 O 6- a monosaccharide that is not hydrolyzed to form simpler carbohydrates.

As seen from structural formula, glucose is at the same time polyhydric alcohol and aldehyde, that is aldehyde alcohol. AT aqueous solutions glucose can take a cyclic form.

Physical Properties

Glucose is a colorless crystalline substance with a sweet taste, highly soluble in water. Less sweet than beet sugar.

1) it is found in almost all plant organs: in fruits, roots, leaves, flowers;
2) especially a lot of glucose in grape juice and ripe fruits, berries;
3) glucose is found in animal organisms;
4) it contains approximately 0.1% in human blood.

Features of the structure of glucose:

1. The composition of glucose is expressed by the formula: C6H12O6, it belongs to polyhydric alcohols.
2. If a solution of this substance is added to freshly precipitated copper (II) hydroxide, a bright blue solution is formed, as in the case of glycerin.
Experience confirms that glucose belongs to polyhydric alcohols.
3. Exists ester glucose, which has five acetic acid residues in its molecule. From this it follows that there are five hydroxyl groups in the carbohydrate molecule. This fact explains why glucose dissolves well in water and tastes sweet.
If a glucose solution is heated with an ammonia solution of silver oxide (I), then a characteristic "silver mirror" will be obtained.
The sixth oxygen atom in the molecule of the substance is part of the aldehyde group.
4. To compose full view about the structure of glucose, you need to know how the skeleton of the molecule is built. Since all six oxygen atoms are part of the functional groups, therefore, the carbon atoms that form the skeleton are directly connected to each other.
5. The chain of carbon atoms is straight, not branched.
6. An aldehyde group can only be at the end of an unbranched carbon chain, and hydroxyl groups can be stable only at different carbon atoms.

Chemical properties

Glucose has chemical properties characteristic of alcohols and aldehydes. In addition, it also has some specific properties.

1. Glucose is a polyhydric alcohol.

Glucose with Cu (OH) 2 gives a solution of blue color(copper gluconate)

2. Glucose - aldehyde.

a) Reacts with an ammonia solution of silver oxide to form a silver mirror:

CH 2 OH-(CHOH) 4 -CHO + Ag 2 O → CH 2 OH-(CHOH) 4 -COOH + 2Ag

gluconic acid

b) With copper hydroxide gives a red precipitate Cu 2 O

CH 2 OH-(CHOH) 4 -CHO + 2Cu(OH) 2 → CH 2 OH-(CHOH) 4 -COOH + Cu 2 O↓ + 2H 2 O

gluconic acid

c) It is reduced by hydrogen to form a six-hydric alcohol (sorbitol)

CH 2 OH-(CHOH) 4 -CHO + H 2 → CH 2 OH-(CHOH) 4 -CH 2 OH

3. Fermentation

a) Alcoholic fermentation(for liquor)

C 6 H 12 O 6 → 2CH 3 -CH 2 OH + 2CO 2

ethanol

b) Lactic acid fermentation (souring of milk, fermentation of vegetables)

C 6 H 12 O 6 → 2CH 3 -CHOH-COOH

lactic acid

Application, meaning

Glucose is produced in plants during photosynthesis. Animals get it from food. Glucose is the main source of energy in living organisms. Glucose is a valuable nutritious product. It is used in confectionery, in medicine as a tonic, for the production of alcohol, vitamin C, etc.