2-Deoxyribose, D- → 2-Deoxy-D-ribitol

An 80 g (0.60 mole) portion of 2-deoxy-D-ribose was dissolved in 240 ml of water to form an aqueous solution into which 15 g of Raney nickel were added. The thus prepared reaction mixture in an autoclave was heated under a hydrogen pressure of 40 kg/cm2G up to a temperature of 70° C. taking 30 minutes and kept for additional 1 hour at the same temperature and under the same hydrogen pressure. After cooling, the reaction mixture taken out of the autoclave was filtered to remove the solid catalyst and the filtrate, as combined with the washings of the solid catalyst with water, was subjected to removal of the water to give about 80 g of 2-deoxy-D-erythropentitol. The yield of the product was almost quantitative.