Question

Is Glucose a reducing sugar?

Answer 1

1. Reducing sugars: carbohydrates can reduce Fehling's and Tollen's reagents are referred to as reducing sugars.
2. The glucose chemical formula is ${\mathbf{C}}_{\mathbf{6}}{\mathbf{H}}_{\mathbf{12}}{\mathbf{O}}_{\mathbf{6}}$
3. Glucose belongs to the category of the aldose.
4. Glucose is also a monosaccharide.
5. The carbohydrates may be classified into reducing or non-reducing sugars.
6. All those carbohydrates which can reduce Fehling's and Tollen's reagent are referred to as reducing sugars.
7. When the aldehyde group reacts with Tollen's reagent (freshly prepared ammoniacal silver nitrate solution), a bright silver mirror is produced. The corresponding aldehyde of sugar is oxidized to the corresponding carboxylate anion. This confirms that the given sugar is glucose.

Hence, glucose is a reducing sugar.