Final answer:
When sucrose is cleaved, a hydrolysis reaction occurs where sucrose reacts with water to produce glucose and fructose, facilitated by the enzyme sucrase or invertase, and follows a first-order rate law.
Step-by-step explanation:
Type of Reaction When Sucrose is Cleaved
The type of reaction that occurs when sucrose is cleaved is known as hydrolysis. During this reaction, a water molecule is added to sucrose, resulting in the breakdown of the glycosidic bond between the glucose and fructose monomers. The chemical equation is C12H22O11 + H₂O → C6H12O6 + C6H12O6, which shows the conversion of sucrose into one glucose molecule and one fructose molecule. This reaction is catalyzed by the enzyme sucrase or invertase.
This process is a specific example of a broader category of reactions where a compound reacts with water, leading to the separation of that compound into two or more individual substances. The cleavage of sucrose is a reverse of the dehydration synthesis, which forms sucrose from a glucose and a fructose monomer through the release of a water molecule. Hydrolysis reactions like this one are commonly involved in the metabolism of various biomolecules in the body.
The hydrolysis of sucrose follows a first-order rate law for the disappearance of sucrose, meaning that the rate of reaction is directly proportional to the concentration of sucrose. This principle is important in understanding the kinetics of the reaction.
Enzymatic Catalysis and Glycosidic Bonds
In biological systems, the hydrolysis of disaccharides like sucrose is typically enzyme-catalyzed. These enzymes lower the activation energy required for the reaction, allowing it to proceed more efficiently at physiological temperatures. For sucrose, the glycosidic bond is between carbon 1 of glucose and carbon 2 of fructose, which is cleaved during hydrolysis.