Dicarboxylic acids produced by oxygen-alkali treatment of birch xylan

Journal article, 1975

C-(2-Hydroxyethyl)tartronic acid is predominant among the dicarboxylic acids and its formation in 12 % yield makes it a major product from xylan. The structure indicates that it is formed from terminal, oxidized xylose units by beta-elimination at C-4 and subsequent benzilic acid rearrangement. It is proposed that 2-ulosonic acid end-groups or ulosono-1,5-lactone end-groups, related in structure to ascorbic acid, are formed as precursors.