The product of the following chemical reaction is
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Gluconic acid
Glucose is an aldohexose: it has an aldehyde group at C1, four secondary –OH groups and a primary –\( \ce{CH2OH} \) group at C6. How far it is oxidised depends on the oxidising agent. A mild oxidising agent such as bromine water oxidises only the –CHO group to –COOH. A strong one, nitric acid, also oxidises the primary –\( \ce{CH2OH} \) group.
With bromine water the product is the six-carbon monocarboxylic acid, gluconic acid.
Why the other options are incorrect
Option (2) Saccharic acid — Incorrect. It is the dicarboxylic acid formed with the strong oxidising agent nitric acid, which oxidises both ends of the chain:
\( \displaystyle \ce{HOCH2(CHOH)4CHO} \xrightarrow{\ce{HNO3}} \ce{HOOC(CHOH)4COOH} \)
Option (3) Glyceraldehyde — Incorrect. It is a three-carbon aldose; bromine water does not break the six-carbon chain of glucose.
Option (4) n-Hexane — Incorrect. It is formed when glucose is heated for a long time with HI, which removes every oxygen atom; this reaction shows that the six carbons form a straight chain.
\( \displaystyle \ce{HOCH2(CHOH)4CHO} \xrightarrow[\Delta]{\ce{HI}} \ce{CH3-(CH2)4-CH3} \)
NCERT (2026-27 edition):
Glucose – …
