QUESTIONS:

1. Draw the structures of the osazones produced in the experiment.

2. Theoretically, arrange the following sugars according to their reactivity
with the Benedicts reagent.
Glucose, Fructose, Maltose, Sucrose, Starch
3. What is the difference between Benedicts Test and Barfoeds test?
4. Can the Seliwanoffs test be used to differentiate sucrose from fructose?
Why?
5. Draw the hydrolysis products of sucrose and starch.
6. Give a molecular explanation for the role of starch as an antidote for the
iodine poisoning.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS:
1. A. Glucose produces glucosazone

B. Fructose produces fructosazone

C. Maltose produces maltosazone

2. Glucose > Fructose > Maltose > Starch > Sucrose

3. Benedicts test is used to determine the presence of reducing sugars,
including both monosaccharides and disaccharides, lactose and maltose.
Barfoeds test, on the other hand, is also used in detecting the presence of
reducing sugars but specifically for monosaccharides. Barfoeds reagent is
generally mild, having a low pH, so reducing monosaccharides react quickly
in Barfoeds reagent but disaccharides react very slowly or not at all. Simply
put, compared to Benedicts test, Barfoeds test is the one to be used to
distinguish between a monosaccharide and disaccharide.
4. No. Seliwanoffs test is used to differentiate an aldohexose from a
ketohexose. Fructose is a ketohexose. Sucrose on the other hand is a
disaccharide made up of fructose and glucose. Since both molecules contain
the ketone functionalities, it would be hard to differentiate the two
compounds using the Seliwanoffs test.
5. A. Hydrolysis products of sucrose: Glucose and Fructose

Glucose
Fructose
B. Hydrolysis product of starch: Glucose

Glucose

6. Starch is composed of a branched amylopectin and an unbranched, linear

amylose that consists of only -1,4 linked glucoses. The linear amylase, when
reacted with iodine, forms a blue complex (amylose-iodine) wherein the
amylose forms a helical structure. The cavity formed by the starch helices
acts as a cage/space that captures and sequesters the iodine. Thus, the
amylose in starch removes the presence of excess iodine reducing its toxicity.