The Terminology of Sugars ,4. P. BRYANT, Clinton Company, Clint,on, Iowa
I
different, it is very important that a distinction be made in the use of these words. We shall use the term ‘Glucose’ in the Pharmacopeia sense.” Browne’s Handbook of Sugar Analysis lists d-glucose and fructose with cross reference to dextrose and levulose. On the other hand, Weichman speaks of dextrose and laevulose and Spencer refers to dextrose and levulose with the term “glucose” apparently applied to the totai reducing sugarsi. e., dextrose and levulose. Referring to Van Nostrand’s Chemical Annual, we find dglucose and d-fructose, but in Hodgman and Lang’s Handbook of Chemistry and Physics the terms “dextrose” and “levulose” are preferred. The various publications by the government bureaus show a more or less interchangeable nomenclature, but the terms “dextrose” and “levulose” appear to have the preference. Commercial usage leans strongly to the use of the terms “dextrose” and “levulose.” Refined corn sugar, which is assuming so much commercial importance, is referred to as dextrose. The conversion product of the inulin of the
N SCIENTIFIC terriiinology it is unfortunate tliat the same material should have two or more designations, especially when these are used indiscriminately. This criticism refers especially to the dextro- and levorotatory monosaccharides having the composition C6H1206 and formed hy the inversion of sucrose. The dextrorotatory sugar is variously called “dextrose,” .,glucose,” or “d-glucose;” when one looks up a reference to this sugar, the chances are that the word first consulted carries H suggestion that the searcher turn to the other name. The same condition exists for the levorotatory sugar, C6H1206.with the additional disadvantage that, if not found under F , it may be under La or Le. So we may find this sugar called “levulose,” “laevulose,” “fructose,” or “dfructose.” I n order to illustrate the wide variation in coInmon usage, the writer consulted the preferred terminology in a number of standard reference books which happened to be on his shelves, without attempting to delve extensively into the scores of rtandard text and reference books. The results of this search are shown in Tahle I.
TABLEI. NOXENCLATURE OF DEXTRO-A S D LEVOROTATORY J . Am. Chem. SOC.
Chem. Abstracts J . Soc. Chem. Ind. U.9. Dispematory, 21st e&. - -. , -IQZ6 --G’. 8. Pharmacopoeia, 10th ed., 1926 Hackh, Chemical Dictionary, 1929 Browne Handbook of Suga; Analysis 1912 Weichman. Suga;Analysis 1898 Bpedcer’s Handbook of Sugar Analysis, 1906 Van Nostrand’s Chemical Annual, 6th ed., 1926 Hodgman and Lang Handbook of Chemis: tr and Physics, 14th eJtion. 1929 ASBOC. Official Agr. Chem Methods of Analykkis, 3rd ed., 1930 J . Assoc. Official Agr. Chem. Bur. Standards “P?; larimetry NO’. 44, 1914 Bur. Standards Lists nf c. P. Productd International Critical Tables 1928 Merrka index, 4th ed., 1930
DEXTROROTATORY LEVOROTATORY Preferred Alternate Preferred Alternate
LEVOROTATORY DEXTROROTATORY Preferred Alternate Preferred Alternate d-Glucose ...... Fructose Fructose Levulose d-Glucose Dextrose Dextrose d-Glucose Laevulose Fructose
......
Dextrose
d-Glucose
Levulose
......
Dextrose
&Glucose
......
......
d-Glucose
Dextrose
Fructose
Levulose
d-Glucose
Dextrose
d-Fructose
Levulose
Dextrose
......
Laevulose
......
Dextrose d-Glucose
Allen’s Commercial Organic Analysis, 6th ed , 1923 Griffin Technical Methods ‘of Analysis, 2nd ed. 1927 L e a d . Food Inspection and Analysis, 4th ed., 1920 Watt’s Chemical Dictionary 1905 Rogers, Manual of Industrial Chemistry, 3rd ed 1921 Smith, Jlex., Inorganic Chemistry 1911 Marriott. I i f a n t Nutrition 1930 D?y:(Noel, Cane Sugar,
Levulose
......
d-Fructose
......
‘JL I
Dextrose
Glucose
Fructose
1,aevulose
Dextrose
......
Levulose
......
Dextrose
......
Levulose
......
Levulo~e
Dextrose
d-Glucose
Dextrose
......
Dextrose
d-Glucose
Levulose
d-Fructose
Dextrose
Glucose solids
Levulose
Fructose
Thayseng and Galloway, Micro Biology of Starch, 1930 Buchanan and Fulmer, Physiology and Biochemistry of Bacteria, 1930 Fulmer and Workman Chemical Action 01 Microorganisms. 1930 Bergey’s Manual of Determinative Bacteriology, 1923 Turner Bacteriology and Mychogy of Foods, 1919
Fructoae
.....
The AMEEICANCHEMICAL SOCIETY in its Journal and Chemical Abstracts prefers the terms “&glucose” and “fructose;” the English Jouinal of the Society of Ch.eniical Industry prefers “dextrose” and “laevulose.” The U. S. Dispensatory and Pharmacopeia refer to dextrose and levulose, but Hackh’s Chemical Dictionary lists as preferable d-glucose and fructose. On Page 519 of the u. S. Dispensatory, twenty-first edition, the following statement is made : “The term ‘glucose’ has been rather loosely applied either to chemically pure grape sugar O r to a sirupy mixture containing varying amounts of dextrose. I n view of the fact that the present Pharmacopoeia recognizes a chemically Pure sugar under the name of ‘dextrose’ and the rather indefinite sirupy mixture under the name of ‘glucose’ and that the medicinal properties of the two substances are quite
Dextrose Dextrose
d-Glucose
....
Laevulose
d-Fructose
Levulose
......
Dextrose
&Glucose
Levulose
Fructose
Dextrose
d-Glucose
Laevulose
&Fructose
Dextrose
......
......
&Fructose
......
Dextrose
Glucose
Dextrose
d-Glucose
Levulose
...... ......
Glucose
......
Fructose
......
Glucose Glucose
Fructose Dextrose
Dextrose
Fructose Levulose
Dextrose
. . . .
Iavulose
Dextrose
..
Levulose
....
.. ,.
Jerusalem artichoke, which bids fair some day to be a common article of commerce, is always referred to as levulose. If it is desired to distinguish between different dextrorotatory sugars, it is just as simple to refer to d-dextrose and b-dextrose as to say d- or b-glucose. The same comment holds for the levorotatory sugar, levulose. It would seem altogether desirable to simplify matters by adopting a uniform nomenclature. Inasmuch as the words ‘LdeXtrOSe”and ‘[levulose” are specifically descriptive of the optical character of the two sugars and appear to be preferred by the majority of the miters, it Seems that these terms should be used generally and adopted by the scientific writers and recommended by the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY. RECEIVED September 23, 10331
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