Thermal Degradation of Sucrose

Sucrose has various chemical properties, including the following:

• Sucrose can be dehydrated in the presence of Sulfuric acid to obtain a black solid that is rich in carbon and small quantities of SO₃. The chemical reaction is given below:

C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ + H₂SO₄ → 11H₂O + 12C (black carbon-rich solid) + heat

• Sucrose molecule reacts with Chloric acid (HClO₃) to yield Hydrochloric acid, Carbon dioxide, and water.

C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ + 8HClO₃→ 8HCl + 11H₂O + 12CO₂

• Sucrose reacts with powerful oxidizing agents like Potassium nitrate (KNO₃) to produce a special type of fuel called rocket candy. The chemical reaction is given below:

C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ + 6KNO₃ → 3K₂CO₃ + 3N₂ + 9CO + 11H₂O

Dehydration of Sucrose with Sulfuric Acid

Sucrose can be subjected to dehydrated in the presence of sulfuric acid in order to obtain a black solid that is rich in carbon. The idealized chemical equation for this process is provided below.

C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ + H₂SO₄ → 11H₂O + 12C (carbon-rich solid) + heat

Sucrose Hydrolysis

Sucrose Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction where sucrose is broken down into two constituent sugars known as glucose and fructose, by the addition of water.

Sucrose + H₂O ⇋ Glucose + Fructose

How do you Convert Sucrose to Glucose?

Sucrose is converted into glucose and fructose by the enzyme called invertase, and these two monosaccharides readily enter the glycolytic pathway. In a typical real-time enzyme kinetics experiment, the substrate (sucrose) is converted to glucose and fructose by the enzyme invertase. The product (α-D-glucose) starts to convert to β-D-glucose immediately by hydrolysis. The Invertase enzyme is used to convert sucrose or cane sugar into glucose and fructose.

Check: Difference between Reducing and Non-reducing Sugar?

Sucrose is often called table sugar or cane sugar. Sucrose is a naturally occurring disaccharide sugar. Sucrose is a monoclinic crystal structure, soluble in water, and has a sweet taste. It is also called table sugar with the molecular formula C₁₂H₂₂O_11. Sugar is a synthesized form of Sucrose and consists of elements Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen. The sucrose molecule is composed of two monosaccharides- Glucose and Fructose connected via a glycosidic bond. The linking of two monosaccharides is called a glycosidic linkage. In 1857, William Miller coined the word Sucrose. For human consumption, Sucrose must be refined. It is mainly used as a food ingredient because of its sweet taste. Sucrose is obtained from sugar canes or sugar beets.

In this article, we will learn in detail about sucrose, the structure of sucrose, the physical and chemical properties of sucrose, and difference between sucrose and similar compounds.