THE THERMAL-BEHAVIOR OF HEXITOLS .1. VITRIFICATION AND CRYSTALLIZATION OF IDITOL, MANNITOL, SORBITOL AND DULCITOL

Thermodynamic data for four hexitols, iditol, mannitol, sorbitol and d ulcitol in the crystalline and glassy states have been obtained by DSC . Based on the values of T(fus), DELTA(fus)H, DELTA(fus)S, T(g), DELTA C(p), T(crystal) and DELTA(cryst)H the dulcitol/mannitol pair appear t o be very different from the iditol/sorbitol pair. Both dulcitol and m annitol exhibit high values of heat of melting, and glasses obtained u pon quenching of the liquid crystallize easily when heated. In contras t, entropies of melting for iditol and sorbitol are relatively low and their glasses are very stable and do not crystallize on warming.