Chemical Forums

Chemistry Forums for Students => Organic Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: Ueue on July 04, 2011, 05:14:22 AM

Title: Glucose synthesis
Post by: Ueue on July 04, 2011, 05:14:22 AM
Dear all,

I am not an expert of Chemistry, but I would like to understand how to synthesize glucose in lab.
I find a lot of explanations of glycolysis, but not of the creation of glucose in lab.

If that is not simple, is there a simple reaction able to store energy (for example thermal) after a reaction, and to obtain it back after breaking the formed molecules?

I need a simple experiment for lab demonstration.

Stefano
Title: Re: Glucose synthesis
Post by: Honclbrif on July 04, 2011, 11:13:32 AM
Depending on your starting material, the synthesis of glucose is not a trivial process. If you're really curious, look up the Fischer Synthesis of Glucose as a starting place.
Title: Re: Glucose synthesis
Post by: Ueue on July 04, 2011, 12:40:25 PM
Thanks for answering.

Indeed! It seems quite complex for a simple demonstration.
Let's remove the idea of synthesis of glucose.  :-[

Do you have any idea about a reversible chemical reaction, easy to implement and activated mainly by means of heat?
But the main concept of the demonstration is to be able to take energy from the heat and store this energy with the chemical reaction, and then extract it partially when the reaction is reversed.
I was thinking to sugar because it is the way in which our body takes energy, but maybe there are simpler ways.
It would be really nice if someone could give me a very simple idea.

Thanks a lot,
Stefano
Title: Re: Glucose synthesis
Post by: discodermolide on July 04, 2011, 01:48:55 PM
Thanks for answering.

Indeed! It seems quite complex for a simple demonstration.
Let's remove the idea of synthesis of glucose.  :-[

Do you have any idea about a reversible chemical reaction, easy to implement and activated mainly by means of heat?
But the main concept of the demonstration is to be able to take energy from the heat and store this energy with the chemical reaction, and then extract it partially when the reaction is reversed.
I was thinking to sugar because it is the way in which our body takes energy, but maybe


there are simpler ways.

It would be really nice if someone could give me a very simple idea.

Thanks a lot,
Stefano


What about the dehydration/rehydration of copperII sulphate. The hydrated form is blue containing 10 or so H2O molecules in the crystal. Upon heating this water of crystallization is lost to give anhydrous CuSO4 which is white and has 1 molecule of water in the lattice,
Upon re- hydration heat is released corresponding to the heat of hydration, this can be easily measured and compared to the heat required to do the initial dehydration.



Title: Re: Glucose synthesis
Post by: Ueue on July 05, 2011, 04:02:08 AM
Impressive!

I will study it!

Thanks a lot,
Stefano
Title: Re: Glucose synthesis
Post by: stevet on July 05, 2011, 05:32:03 PM
What about creating a supersaturated solution of sodium acetate, which after cooling and initializing crystallization, releases a significant quantity of heat energy?

I know this process is used in simple hand-warmers in cold climates.

Its not an efficient energy storage means, nor a chemical reaction, but its a simple way to illustrate energy storage via chemicals I suppose.
Title: Re: Glucose synthesis
Post by: Ueue on July 06, 2011, 03:32:07 AM
Wow!
This forum is full of ideas.

I will study also that reaction.

Thanks a lot!
Stefano