Xylose hydrogenation: kinetic and NMR studies of the reaction mechanisms

Hydrogenation of xylose over Raney nickel was studied in a batch reactor. A pseudo-homogeneous kinetic model was able to prognose the xylose and xylit ol concentrations rather well. The obtained fit for the activation energies suggests that external diffusion limitations are absent in our experimenta l conditions. The sugar equilibria studies gave new information about the t emperature dependence of the alpha-beta-pyranose equilibria. It was found t hat the equilibria in D2O follows an S-shaped curve, the equilibria being s hifted towards the a-form at higher temperatures. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.