Organic compounds -- part of the class 532-570 series – Organic compounds – Carbohydrates or derivatives
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-29
2001-07-10
Wilson, James O. (Department: 1623)
Organic compounds -- part of the class 532-570 series
Organic compounds
Carbohydrates or derivatives
C536S004100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06258940
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
Erythrose has a great number of applications in the fields of foods, polymers, fine chemicals, the medicinal industry, and the like. Erythritol produced by reducing erythrose is currently utilized as a low calorie sweetener.
2. Discussion of the Background
As to processes for preparing erythrose, the method by Wohl is known, which comprises decomposing D-arabinose oxime by way of acetylated aldononitrile (Wohl, A., Ber., Vol. 65, 168, 1893), but the yield of erythrose by this method is low. Additionally, another method comprising glucose oxidation using lead tetraacetate is known (Whistler R. L., et. al., Methods in Carbohydrate Research, Academic Press, Vol. 1, 64-66, 1962). The method, however, requires multiple complex steps, and therefore, the method is hardly applicable to an industrial process, although the method is indeed effective as a method for preparing erythrose in laboratories.
Alternatively, it has been known that cellulose can be decomposed into water-soluble products such as glucose through a decomposition reaction where water in a super-critical state or in a sub-critical state is used as the solvent, and that in such decomposition reaction various by-products such as erythrose, fructose and glyceraldehyde are produced (“Science and Technology of Super-critical Fluid”, Sankyo Business, 280-286, 1996). However, the yield of erythrose produced through these reactions is low, and therefore, these methods cannot be substantially applied to the preparation of erythrose.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of the present invention to provide an efficient and simple method for preparing erythrose.
So as to attain the object described above, the present inventors have discovered that erythrose can selectively be produced by subjecting glucose to a decomposition reaction using water in a super-critical state or in a sub-critical state as the solvent, and that highly pure erythrose products can be obtained in high yields under specific conditions for the reaction period. The present invention has been completed on the basis of these findings.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for producing erythrose, comprising subjecting glucose to a decomposition reaction using water in a super-critical state or in a sub-critical state as the solvent therefor, and also to such method for producing erythrose from glucose, wherein the reaction time is set to such a time period that erythrose can be produced at a high level, whereas by-products are produced at low levels.
REFERENCES:
patent: 07095900 (1995-04-01), None
Adschiri et al., Industrial Eng. Chemistry Research, vol. 35, No. 5, pp. 1552-1558, (abstract), May, 1997.*
American Institute of Chemical Engineers 1996 Annual Meeting; Bernard M. Kabyemela; “Reaction Pathway of Glucose and Fructose in Subcritical and Supercritical Water”; Nov. 10-15, 1996.
Adschiri Tadafumi
Arai Kunio
Kabyemela Bernard M.
Ajinomoto Co. Inc.
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Wilson James O.
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