Question

The open chain form of glucose only composes a small amount of glucose, yet when it is oxidized from the aldehyde to the carboxylic acid, all of the glucose (a glucose, b glucose and acyclic glucose) is converted to the carboxylic acid. Using chemical reactions and le Chatelier, explain this result.

Answer 1

We know that, a -hydroxy aldehyde and - hydroxy aldehyde can't exist in the aqueous solution in its open chain form. The hydroxyl group attack to the carbonyl group to form cyclic compound. Glucose is a polyhydroxy carbonyl comopund. So it form cycle comopond in aqueous solution. So, the open chain form of glucose molecule is less populated in the aqueous solution. They mainly exist as a alpha and beta form.

When the glucose molecule is oxidised by an oxidant, all the cyclic form is converted to acyclic form and oxidised to carboxylic acid irrespective to the form of glucose molecule