D-(-)-Fructose → Sorbitol

Participants

Reaction Steps

The present invention provides a method for producing L-sugars including L-idose and L-gulose as well as D-fructose from D-glucose. The method comprises the steps of epimerizing D-glucose to a mixture of D-glucose and D-mannose, hydrogenating the mixture in a fixed catalyst bed to provide D-sorbitol and D-mannitol, separating the D-sorbitol from the D-mannitol, oxidizing the D-sorbitol to provide L-sorbose, converting the L-sorbose in a weak alkaline solution to provide a mixture of L-idose and L-gulose and precipitating L-sorbose with a dilute lime solution. The D-mannitol is separately oxidized to D-fructose.

Provenance & Evidence