(48b) Reaction Mechanism of Retro-aldol Condensation under Hydrothermal Condition

The reaction mechanism of retro-aldohol condensation has been a mystery. In the organic chemistry textbooks, retro-aldohol condensation is written as ionic reaction. However, the experiment on temperature effect on the reaction rate of retro-aldohol condensation has shown it is a radical reaction. We employed glyceraldehyde, the simplest sugar to find out the reaction mechanism, and determined it was surely a radical reaction.