Basic Information

• Chemical Name: 1,2,3,4,5-Pentane Pentol
• Molecular Formula: 
• Molecular Weight: 152.15
• CAS Registry Number: 87-99-0

Properties

• Physical Properties: Xylitol is a white crystalline or crystalline powder, odorless, sweet in taste, with a sweetness equivalent to or slightly higher than that of sucrose. It is easily soluble in water and slightly soluble in ethanol and methanol. Its melting point is between 92 - 96°C and its boiling point is 216°C.
• Chemical Properties: Xylitol is a polyol and has the general chemical properties of alcohols, and can undergo esterification, etherification and other reactions. Under certain conditions, it can also be oxidized to the corresponding carboxylic acid or reduced to other alcohols.

Source and Production

• Natural Source: Xylitol occurs naturally in a variety of plants, such as birch, oak, corncobs, bagasse, etc. In these plants, xylitol is produced through photosynthesis and is an intermediate product in the plant's metabolic process.
• Production Method: Industrially, xylitol is mainly produced by extracting xylose from plant materials rich in xylan, and then catalytic hydrogenation and reduction of xylose to obtain xylitol. For example, using corncobs as raw materials, xylose is obtained through processes such as hydrolysis and purification, and then hydrogenation reaction is carried out in the presence of a catalyst to produce xylitol.

Xylitol is white crystalline powder, a new natural sweetener made from corncob or sugar cane bagasse. Its sweetness level equals that of sucrose. It can be directly utilized by human cells in cases of lack of insulin in the human body because of its insulin-independent nature. It can supply liver glycogen and improves liver function, this is the reason why xylitol is ideal for use in the resuscitation of patients from diabetic and hepatic coma.