Mechanism of thermal degradation of sucrose. A preliminary study

Abstract

Evidence is presented which indicates that the initiating reaction in the thermal decomposition of sucrose is a first-order intramolecular displacement yielding D-glucose and a fructose derivative(F*) (anhydride?). The latter product has not yet been identified, but is postulated as reacting rapidly with sucrose to yield trisaccharides of the type F2G. When another alcohol (erythritol) is present in the melt, F* reacts with it to produce fructoside(s).