| abstract |
Anion exchange resins which have been exchanged with molybdate at acid pH are effective catalysts for epimerizing compounds with structural unit (I). Chief among these are aldoses, especially aldopentoses and aldohexoses, as well as some deoxy-sugars. A method for the continuous epimerization of aldoses and other compounds having the necessary structural feature shown using a fixed bed of molybdate-exchanged resin is quite efficient, and can be employed in enhancing the yield of the thermodynamically formed epimer which is produced as the minor epimer in a mixture under kinetic control. |