Retro-aldol-type fragmentation of reducing sugars preferentially occurring in polyether at high temperature: Role of the ether oxygen as a base catalyst

The pyrolysis behavior of reducing monosaccharides was compared in the presence and absence of tetraethyleneglycol dimethylether (TEGDE), a polyether (N2/150–250 °C). The pyrolytic pathways changed drastically in TEGDE. Glucose started to decompose at >160 °C under the neat conditions, and polysaccharides, anhydrosugars (levoglucosan and 1,6-anhydroglucofuranose), a colored substance and char were the major products. However, glucose was...