Carbohydrate stabilization with anthraquinone during alkaline pulping

Summary

Treatment of wood meal with aqueous alkali in the presence of anthraquinone at 80°C leads to a conversion of reducing hexose end groups in the polysaccharides to mannonic and gluconic acid end groups. Xylose end groups are oxidized to xylonic and lyxonic acid groups. This leads to a stabilization of the polysaccharides against endwise alkaline degradation.