Summary
Simple monosaccharides are shown to autoxidize, under physiological conditions, forming dicarbonyl compounds and hydrogen peroxide via reactive intermediates of dioxygen and carbon centred free radicals. The rate of enolisation of the substrate to form an enediol is the rate limiting step of this spontaneous process.
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Acknowledgments. We should like to thank the NIH, MRC ICI Pharmaceuticals Ltd and the SERC for financial support; Dr D. Earle for helpful conversations, Mr. A.J. Bron for provision of laboratory facilities and Dr. J.V. Bannister for the generous gift of superoxide dismutase.
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Wolff, S.P., Crabbe, M.J.C. & Thornalley, P.J. The autoxidation of glyceraldehyde and other simple monosaccharides. Experientia 40, 244–246 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01947562
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01947562