Question

Account for the following:

Glucose is a reducing sugar

Answer 1

Glucose reduces Fehlings reagent

\[\begin{array}{cc}
\phantom{..}\ce{H}\phantom{...}\ce{O}\phantom{.........................}\ce{HO}\phantom{...}\ce{O}\phantom{...............}\\
\phantom{..}\backslash\phantom{..}//\phantom{............................}\backslash\phantom{..}//\phantom{..............}\\
\phantom{.}\ce{C}\phantom{...............................}\ce{C}\phantom{..............}\\
\phantom{..}|\phantom{................................}|\phantom{...............}\\
\phantom{.}\ce{H-C-OH}\phantom{.......................}\ce{H-C-OH}\phantom{............}\\
\phantom{......}|\phantom{................................}|\phantom{...................}\\
\phantom{.}\ce{HO-C-H + 2Cu^{2+} + 2H2O -> HO-C-H + Cu2O + 4H+}\\
\phantom{.}|\phantom{................................}|\phantom{..............}\\
\phantom{..}\ce{H-C-OH}\phantom{......................}\ce{H-C-OH}\phantom{.............}\\
\phantom{..}|\phantom{................................}|\phantom{...............}\\
\phantom{..}\ce{H-C-OH}\phantom{......................}\ce{H-C-OH}\phantom{.............}\\
\phantom{..}|\phantom{................................}|\phantom{...............}\\
\phantom{......}\ce{CH2OH}\phantom{.........................}\ce{CH2OH}\phantom{.............}
\end{array}\]