Question

What are the expected products of hydrolysis of lactose?

What are the hydrolysis products of lactose?

What are the products formed upon hydrolysis of lactose?

Answer 1

Lactose is composed of β-D galactose and β-D glucose. On hydrolysis, it gives two molecules of lactose monosaccharide, i.e., one molecule each of D-(+)-glucose and D-(+)-galactose.

\[\ce{\underset{Lactose}{C12H22O11} + H2O ->[H3O+][or Lactose] \underset{D-(+)-glucose}{C6H12O6} + \underset{D-(+)-galactose}{C6H12O6}}\]

Answer 2

When lactose (C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁) undergoes hydrolysis, it yields glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆) and galactose (C₆H₁₂O₆).