Is carbohydrates soluble in ethers

Answer 1

Carbohydrates are polar molecules with a lot of -OH functional groups attached to it. This makes them capable of hydrogen bonding, which is one trait of polar protic compounds (molecules that are polar AND can participate in hydrogen bonding). The oxygen of an -OH from one sugar can attract the hydrogen of another sugar, and thus two hydrogen bonding interactions occur for every pair of -OH molecules. These are most soluble in water or other polar protic solvents.

Ethers are aprotic solvents (lacking hydrogens), yet it still has some ability to dissolve partially polar molecules. It has an oxygen to attract other hydrogen molecules with, but it does not share a hydrogen at the same time. Therefore, carbohydrates will most likely undergo two bonding interactions with each other via rather than bond to the oxygen molecule of an ether. As a result, you will see a clumping of sugar in ether.

Answer 2

Yes!

• Carbohydrates are polar molecules with a lot of -OH functional groups attached to it. This makes them capable of hydrogen bonding, which is one trait of polar protic compounds (molecules that are polar AND can participate in hydrogen bonding). The oxygen of an -OH from one sugar can attract the hydrogen of another sugar, and thus two hydrogen bonding interactions occur for every pair of -OH molecules. These are most soluble in water or other polar protic solvents. Ethers are aprotic solvents (lacking hydrogens), yet it still has some ability to dissolve partially polar molecules. It has an oxygen to attract other hydrogen molecules with, but it does not share a hydrogen at the same time. Therefore, carbohydrates will most likely undergo two bonding interactions with each other via rather than bond to the oxygen molecule of an ether. As a result, you will see a clumping of sugar in ether.