LIFE SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -For example, the alditol obtained by reducing d-glucose-1-C14 may be named either d-glucitol-1-C14 or l-gulitol-6-C14. An unlabeled alditol that has a plane of symmetry is a meso compound derivable from either the d or the l form of an unlabeled aldose.

Detailed explanation-2: -Alditols, also known as sugar alcohols, are obtained from the reduction of an aldose and are one type of commonly used sugar substitutes.

Detailed explanation-3: -Thus, alditols are also called sugar alcohols, polyhydric alcohols, polyalcohols, or glycitols. Alditols are white, water-soluble solids that can occur naturally or be produced industrially from monosaccharides or glycans. They are used widely in the food industry as thickeners and sweeteners.

Detailed explanation-4: -Monosaccharides are easily reduced to alditols (known also as ‘polyols’) by sodium borohydride (NaBH4) in weak alkaline solution. Large-scale reduction is carried out by catalytic hydrogenation. Alditols are linear molecules, do not form rings, and do not exist as anomeric forms.