Question Details

The correct statement(s) regarding sugars is(are)
Given: Specific rotations of L-(−)-glucose and L-(+)-fructose are −52.5° and +92.5°, respectively.

Options

A

On treatment with HNO3, gluconic acid is oxidized to saccharic acid, whereas glucose is not oxidized to saccharic acid.

B

Fructose gives a positive Fehling’s test because it isomerises to glucose and another aldohexose in the presence of Fehling’s reagent.

C

Invert sugar is an equimolar mixture of D-glucose and D-fructose formed after hydrolysis of the corresponding disaccharide.

D

Specific rotation of invert sugar is −40°.

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Correct Answer :

Option B

Fructose gives a positive Fehling’s test because it isomerises to glucose and another aldohexose in the presence of Fehling’s reagent.

Option C

Invert sugar is an equimolar mixture of D-glucose and D-fructose formed after hydrolysis of the corresponding disaccharide.

Solution :

The correct statements regarding sugars are:

1. Fructose gives a positive Fehling’s test because it isomerises to glucose and another aldohexose in the presence of Fehling’s reagent.
2. Invert sugar is an equimolar mixture of D-glucose and D-fructose formed after hydrolysis of the corresponding disaccharide.


Detailed Explanation of Each Statement:

Statement 1: Oxidation with HNO3
Nitric acid (HNO3) is a strong oxidizing agent. It oxidizes both glucose and gluconic acid to saccharic acid (dicarboxylic acid). Therefore, the claim that glucose is not oxidized to saccharic acid by HNO3 is incorrect.

Statement 2: Fehling's test for Fructose
Although fructose contains a keto group (ketose), it reduces Fehling's solution (gives a positive test). In the presence of the basic Fehling's reagent, fructose undergoes keto-enol tautomerism (Lobry de Bruyn-Alberda van Ekenstein transformation) to isomerize into glucose and mannose (another aldohexose), both of which are reducing aldohexoses that react with Fehling's reagent.

Statement 3: Definition of Invert Sugar
Invert sugar is defined as an equimolar mixture of D-(+)-glucose and D-(-)-fructose produced by the hydrolysis of sucrose (a disaccharide).

Statement 4: Specific Rotation of Invert Sugar
Let us calculate the specific rotation of invert sugar formed by hydrolysis of sucrose:
The specific rotation of D-(+)-glucose is +52.5° and that of D-(-)-fructose is -92.4° (or -92.5° as given in terms of L-enantiomer magnitude).
For an equimolar mixture of D-glucose and D-fructose:

[ α ] mix = + 52.5 ° - 92.5 ° 2 = - 40 ° 2 = - 20 °

Hence, the specific rotation of invert sugar is -20° (or -19.97°), not -40°. Therefore, Statement 4 is incorrect.

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