The formation of acetic aci
d was eluci
date
d base
d on volatile reaction pro
ducts an
d relate
d nonvolatilekey interme
diates. The origin an
d yiel
d of acetic aci
d were
determine
d un
der well-controlle
d con
ditions(90-120
![](/images/entities/<font color=)
deg.gif">C, pH 6-8). Experiments with various
13C-labele
d glucose isotopomers in the presence ofglycine reveale
d all six carbon atoms being incorporate
d into acetic aci
d: C-1/C-2 (~70%), C-3/C-4(~10%), an
d C-5/C-6 (~20%). Acetic aci
d is a goo
d marker of the 2,3-enolization pathway since itis almost exclusively forme
d from 1-
deoxy-2,3-
diulose interme
diates. Depen
ding on the pH, the aceticaci
d conversion yiel
d reache
d 85 mol % when using 1-
deoxy-2,3-hexo
diulose (
1) as a precursor.Hy
drolytic
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
ddle">-
dicarbonyl cleavage of 1-
deoxy-2,4-hexo
diuloses was shown to be the major pathwaylea
ding to acetic aci
d from glucose without the interme
diacy of any oxi
dizing agents. The presenceof key interme
diates was corroborate
d for the first time, i.e., tetroses an
d 2-hy
droxy-3-oxobutanal, atautomer of 1-hy
droxy-2,3-butane
dione, also referre
d to as 1-
deoxy-2,3-tetro
diulose. The hy
drolytic
![](/images/gifchars/beta2.gif)
ddle">-
dicarbonyl cleavage represents a general pathway to organic aci
ds, which correspon
ds to an acyloincleavage or a retro-Claisen type reaction. Although alternative mechanisms must exist, the frequentlyreporte
d hy
drolytic
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
-
dicarbonyl cleavage of
1 can be rule
d out as a pathway forming carboxylicaci
ds.