Question

What are the products obtained on hydrolysis of sucrose ?

Hint:

Important hydrolysis products: Sucrose \(\rightarrow\) Glucose + Fructose Maltose \(\rightarrow\) Glucose + Glucose Lactose \(\rightarrow\) Glucose + Galactose

Answer 1

Step 1: Recall the composition of sucrose.
Sucrose ($C_{12}H_{22}O_{11}$) is a disaccharide composed of one $\alpha$-D-glucose and one $\beta$-D-fructose unit joined by a 1,2-glycosidic bond between their anomeric carbons.
Step 2: Write the hydrolysis reaction.
In the presence of dilute acid or the enzyme invertase, the glycosidic bond is cleaved by water: \[ C_{12}H_{22}O_{11} + H_2O \rightarrow C_6H_{12}O_6\,(glucose) + C_6H_{12}O_6\,(fructose) \]
Step 3: Name the products and note an important property.
The products are D-glucose (dextrorotatory) and D-fructose (levorotatory). Because fructose is more strongly levorotatory, the mixture is levorotatory overall and is called invert sugar, contrasting with dextrorotatory sucrose itself.