It is postulated that, in the epimerization of glucose in alkaline sol
ution catalysed by Ca2+ ions (and other cations of similar size), the
intermediate is a complex of the cation with O-1, O-2, O-3 and O-4 of
the sugar and that the reaction proceeds, like the Bilik reaction, wit
h rearrangement of the carbon chain. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.