Breaking the Glycosidic Bond

Question 1

The glycosidic bond is broken when

Answer 1

water is added in a hydrolysis (meaning ‘hydro’ - with water and ‘lyse’ - to break) reaction

Question 2

Disaccharides and polysaccharides are broken down in hydrolysis reactions

Question 3

Hydrolytic reactions are catalysed by enzymes, these are different to those present in condensation reactions

Answer 3

Examples of hydrolytic reactions include the digestion of food in the alimentary tract and the breakdown of stored carbohydrates in muscle and liver cells for use in cellular respiration

Question 4

Sucrose is a non-reducing sugar which gives a negative result in a Benedict’s test. When sucrose is heated with

Answer 4

hydrochloric acid this provides the water that hydrolyses the glycosidic bond resulting in two monosaccharides that will produce a positive Benedict’s test