A sugar ' X ' dehydrates very slowly under acidic condition to give furfural which on further reaction with resorcinol gives the coloured product after sometime. Sugar ' X ' is
(A)Aldopentose✓ Correct
(B)Aldotetrose
(C)Oxalic acid
(D)Ketotetrose
Answer: (A)
Solution
The reaction described is Seliwanoff's test, which distinguishes ketoses from aldoses. However, the question states that sugar X dehydrates very slowly to give furfural, which then reacts with resorcinol to give a colored product.
Aldopentoses (5-carbon aldoses like ribose, xylose) dehydrate under acidic conditions to form furfural. Furfural reacts with resorcinol to give a cherry-red colored product.
Ketoses react rapidly in Seliwanoff's test, while aldoses react slowly. Since the question mentions "very slowly," sugar X is an aldopentose.
Therefore, the answer is (A) Aldopentose.
JEE Main · 2022 · 27 Jul 2022 · Shift 1 · Single correct option