Chemical Reactivity of Sucrose with Hydrogen

What exactly is Sucrose?

Sucrose’s chemical formula is C12H22O11 . Sucrose is harvested and refined for human use from either sugarcane or sugar beet. Sugar mills — which crush the cane – are often located in tropical locations near where sugarcane is farmed. Essentially, it generates raw sugar, which is then transferred to other companies to be refined into pure sucrose.

Sugar beet processing plants are located in temperate climates. It is a location where beets are farmed and processed before being converted directly into refined sugar. Sugar refining begins with cleaning raw sugar crystals before dissolving them in a sugar syrup. This sugar syrup is filtered and then run through a charcoal filter to remove any remaining color.

Later, the sugar syrup is concentrated by heating it under a vacuum. It is then crystallized as the last purification process to obtain pure sucrose crystals. These crystals are odorless, clear, and delicious. Sugar is commonly used as a component in food preparation and recipes. Globally, around 185 million tonnes of sugar are produced.

Etymology of Sucrose

In 1857, the term sucrose was coined. It was derived from the French sucre (“sugar”) by English chemist William Miller. -ose is the generic chemical suffix for sugars. In the scientific literature, sucrose is referred to by the abbreviated word ‘Suc.’ Marcellin Berthelot, a French scientist, coined the term saccharose in 1860. Saccharose is an outmoded term for sugars. This is especially true with sucrose.

Sucrose Sources

Sucrose is found in abundance in many plants, particularly in their roots, fruits, and nectars. Its primary function is to store energy, mostly through photosynthesis. Many mammals, birds, insects, and microbes store and feed on sucrose in plants, and for others, it is their sole source of nutrition. Honeybees are essential in terms of human consumption because they accumulate sugar and create honey. It is a staple cuisine all across the world. Honey’s carbohydrates are primarily fructose and glucose, with only tiny amounts of sucrose.

Fruits’ sucrose content normally climbs significantly as they ripen, however certain fruits contain hardly any sugar at all. Grapes, cherries, blueberries, blackberries, figs, pomegranates, tomatoes, avocados, lemons, and limes are among the fruits. However, with the advent of industrialisation, it has become further refined and consumed in a wide range of processed meals.

Structure of Sucrose

Sucrose’s glycosidic bond joins the two carbohydrate groups. A sucrose molecule contains no anomeric hydroxyl groups. As a result, because sucrose does not operate as a reducing agent, it is categorized as a non-reducing sugar.

Characteristics of Sucrose

The Molecular Weight or Molar Mass of sucrose is 342.30 g/mol. Sucrose has a density of 1.587g/cm3. Sucrose is a white crystalline substance with a crystalline look. Sucrose has a melting point of 459 K.

Sucrose’s Physical Characteristics

1 Sucrose’s crystal structure is monoclinic.

2 Sucrose has a boiling point of more than 186°C when heated. This chemical decomposes to produce caramel.

3.At a temperature of 20oC, sucrose dissolves in water at a rate of 203.9g/100mL.

4.Sucrose has a standard enthalpy of combustion of 5647kJ.mol1.

5.Sucrose Chemical Properties Thermal Sucrose Degradation:

When sucrose is heated above 186 degrees Celsius, it begins a breakdown reaction that produces caramel. Sucrose, like other carbohydrates, undergoes burning in the presence of oxygen, producing water H2O and carbon dioxide CO2. Sucrose combines with potassium nitrate, a potent oxidizing agent with the chemical formula KNO3, to produce rocket candy, a sort of fuel. The chemical equation for the reaction of sucrose and potassium nitrate is as follows:

C12H22O11+6KNO3→3K2CO3+3N2+9CO+11H2O

In addition, sucrose burns with chloric acid to produce hydrochloric acid, water, and carbon dioxide. The following chemical equation can be used to depict this reaction:

C12H22O11+8HClO3→8HCl+11H2O+12CO2

Dehydration Of Sucrose Using Sulfuric Acid

Sucrose is dehydrated in the presence of sulfuric acid to produce a black solid that is high in carbon. This process’s idealized chemical equation.

C12H22O1+H2SO4 + 11H2O+12C (carbon-rich solid) + heating

It should be noted that this method can produce a minor amount of SO3.

Hydrolysis

Sucrose hydrolysis breaks the glycosidic link, turning it to glucose and fructose. It is so slow that sucrose solutions can sit for years with little change. When the enzyme sucrase is added to the process, it proceeds quickly. The hydrolysis process is hastened by the use of acids such as cream of tartar or lemon juice, both of which are weak acids. During digestion, stomach acidity also transforms sucrose into glucose and fructose. An acid can dissolve the acetal connection that exists between them.

Applications of Sucrose 

Sucrose can be used in the following ways:

1.It is an essential component in soft drinks and other beverages.

2.This chemical is found in a variety of pharmaceutical products.

3.Many emulsifying agents and detergents use it as a chemical intermediate.

4.It acts as a food thickener as well as a food stabilizer.

5.This molecule helps to increase the shelf life of numerous food products, such as jams and jellies.

6.The brown color of baked goods is caused by the use of sucrose in baking.

7.As  it suppresses oxidation, this molecule also functions as an antioxidant.

Sucrose is commonly used as a food preservative.

Conclusion

We conclude that Sucrose, as a carbohydrate, gives your body the energy it needs to conduct physical and mental processes. During digestion, your body converts nutrients like sucrose and starch into fructose and glucose. Your body metabolizes fructose and glucose to provide energy to your cells.