Oxidation of glucose and arabinose mixtures over Au/Al 2 O 3

Oxidation of a mixture of glucose and arabinose over 1% Au deposited on alumina was investigated in a semi-batch reactor varying pH, temperature and partial pressure of oxygen. Elevation of the latter enhancing the rate induced also losses in selectivity to aldonic acids. A kinetic model representing the catalytic oxidation reactions of arabinose and glucose along with respective isomerization to fructose and ribulose was developed. Calculations based on the model were able to describe experimental data in a reliable way.