1. Borate-Stabilized Transformation of C6 Aldose to C4 Aldose
- Author
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Yahong Zhang, Gang Li, Yi Tang, Zhen Sun, Yueer Yan, Lin Shaoying, and Lei Feng
- Subjects
chemistry.chemical_classification ,Glycolaldehyde ,010405 organic chemistry ,General Chemistry ,010402 general chemistry ,01 natural sciences ,Catalysis ,0104 chemical sciences ,Solvent ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,chemistry ,Aldose ,Aldol reaction ,Erythrose ,Organic chemistry ,Aldol condensation ,Isomerization - Abstract
Highly efficient transformations of biomass-derived sugars into various valuable chemicals are of topical interest. Tetrose with a four-carbon bone is the root of most of biomass-derived C4 products, but its extreme instability obstructs the blossoming of C4 products presently. Herein, we describe a borate-stabilized catalytic strategy to accumulate erythrose from C6 aldose in a highly selective manner via retro-aldol and aldol processes in alcohol solvent. In our proposed mechanism, borate can stabilize erythrose and avoid its further retro-aldol splitting or isomerization, and induce the production of erythrose again via the aldol condensation of the above-generated glycolaldehyde.
- Published
- 2017