Tag: Acid catalysis

The human body naturally converts sucrose into glucose and fructose during digestion, using an enzyme called sucrase. This chemical reaction, known as hydrolysis, can also be replicated in a laboratory or food production setting using either enzymes or an acid catalyst to break the bond between the two monosaccharides. Understanding this process is fundamental in both organic chemistry and the food industry.

Over 160 million metric tons of sucrose are produced globally every year, but what happens to sucrose during hydrolysis is critical for its use in food, industry, and biological processes. This process breaks the disaccharide down into its sweeter, more versatile components: glucose and fructose.

In organic chemistry, the carbonyl group of a ketone is a key site of reactivity. A common question arises regarding its interaction with other functional groups: do ketones react with alcohol? The answer is a definitive yes, typically through a nucleophilic addition reaction, though this process requires specific conditions to proceed effectively.