Some Aspects of the Oxidation of Sugars and Inisitols by Periodate: The Formation of Intermediary Esters

Abstract

Evidence, obtained mainly by determining the amount of intermediary esters formed during the oxidation of aldoses by periodate, indicates that aldoses are pre- dominantly attacked in their original cyclic form ; that the oxidation of the intermediary aldoses is faster than their cyclization ; and that the oxidation of the intermediary hemiacetals is faster than their hydrolysis. Inositols are oxidized to tartron-aldehyde which undergoes " overoxidation " ; 0-methylinositols are degraded to methyl glyoxylate.