Sorbitol dehydration in high temperature liquid water

Sorbitol dehydration in high temperature liquid water proceeded at 523–573 K without adding any acid catalysts. Anhydrosorbitols (1,4-anhydrosorbitol (1,4-AHSO), 2,5-anhydrosorbitol (2,5-AHSO) and 1,5-anhydrosorbitol (1,5-AHSO)) were produced by the monomolecular dehydration of sorbitol, and isosorbide was produced by the stepwise dehydration of 1,4-AHSO. The formation rates of 1,4-AHSO and 2,5-AHSO (five-membered cyclic ethers) from sorbitol...