The target compounds were synthesized from D-fructose by the following steps: 2-hydroxypropanoic acid, D-witch hazel sugar, (3S,4R,5S)-1,3,4,5,6-pentahydroxyhexan-2-one, (3S,4S,5R)-1,3,4,5,6-pentahydroxyhexan-2-one, (3R,4R,5R)-1,3,4,5,6-pentahydroxyhexan-2-one, 1 ,3-dihydroxyacetone and DL-glyceraldehyde. This was done as follows: the D-fructose was reacted with MoO3 in water at 100 °C for 4 h. After completion of the reaction, the fructose-containing grades were separated by appropriate methods. Analysis using 1H NMR spectroscopy (shown in Fig. 8) confirmed the presence of sorbose in the separated grades.
