The Inversion of Sucrose

A Determination of the Rate of Reaction and

Activation Energy
Andrew Kline, Department of Chemistry, University of North Florida
With assistance from Chad McDaniel, and Joe Henthorn
2-8-2011
Abstract:
In this experiment the inversion of sucrose was determined by an acid catalyzed reaction and
from plotted data taken from a polarimeter, the activation energy, rate of reaction, the rate constant,
and order was calculated. It was found that the best fit linear plot was that of the ln (α) (found to be
-0.107 for the 30°C HCl run, -0.1532 for the 40°C HCl run, -0.0148 for the 50°C MCAA run, and -0.0389
for the 60°C MCAA run) and the activation energy was found to be 263.5 kJ/mol for HCl and 2322.2
kJ/mol for the MCAA.

Introduction:
The inversion of sucrose has several benefits both in the food industry and in the medical field.
The conversion of sucrose into its single sugars, glucose and fructose, happens in the body with the use
of the invertase enzyme which is found in saliva. There are several other enzyme catalyzed reactions
which can be carried out under non-biological conditions by using an acid catalyst (H+). The rate of
reaction is of the form:

(1)

The purpose of this experiment is to determine the rate of the reaction and the activation
energy of the inversion of sucrose by measuring the angle of polarized light being shown through a
sample and graphing the data of the observed angles of rotation vs. time. Once the experimental data
reaches a negative value stop taking data and allow the solution to sit for one week, this is to obtain a
α∞ value, which you subtract from the experimental values. The activation energy is determined using
the Arrhenius equation: [1]

(2)

Where k is the rate constant, A is the frequency factor, Ea is the activation energy, R is the gas constant,
and T is temperature in K.

Sucrose is dextrorotary however the combination of glucose and fructose is levorotary. As the
degradation of sucrose continues the angle changes from right to left (or (+) to (-)).[2] This reaction will
occur on its own but an acid catalyzed reaction is much more efficient.

Sucrose Glucose Fructose [3]

Materials:
A 4M HCl (EMD Chemicals, Gibbstown, NJ) solution was made, along with a 4M MCAA (Aldrich,
St. Louis, MO) and a 0.58M sucrose (Mallinckrodt, Phillipsburg, NJ) solution, and a Linos photonics SR6
polarimeter.

Procedures:
The stock solutions were equilibrated to their respective temperatures; the HCl was heated to
30 and then 40°C, while the MCAA was heated to 50 and then 60°C, using a circulating hot water bath.
Once the solutions reached temperature they were mixed in equal amounts (25 mL ea.), and
immediately added to one of three polarimetery tubes and an initial reading was taken. The tubes were
placed into a re-closable plastic bag and returned to their respective hot water baths, and then every
two minutes another reading was taken (the time spacing of two minutes may be adjusted as needed
either up or down in order to obtain more accurate data.). The time interval for the MCAA runs was ten
minutes due to the fact that MCAA is weaker acid than HCl so it takes a longer time to overcome the
activation energy in order for the reaction to proceed. Readings are taken on the polarimeter until a
negative reading is taken; this reading indicates that the sucrose has been inverted.

Results:
The results of the inversion of sucrose show that the activation energy of the acid catalyzed
reaction is negative. This negative trend is due to the activation energy being lowered. The slope of the
equations of the lines results in a –k value for the activation energy.

3.0
ln(Alpha) vs. Time of 30 C HCl Runs

2.5
30 C Run 1
2.0 30 C Run 2
30 C Run 3
Linear (30 C Run 1)
1/α Cor 1.5
Linear (30 C Run 2)
Linear (30 C Run 3)
1.0 y = -0.157x + 2.7502
R² = 0.8896
0.5 y = -0.1334x + 2.6979
R² = 0.9382

0.0 y = -0.0306x + 2.6479

0 5 10 R² = 0.9846
Time15
(min) 20 25 30

Figure 1: All equations are in order of run and the average slope is -0.107
 ln(Alpha) vs. Time 40 C HCl Runs
3.0 40 C Run 1

40 C Run 2
2.5
40 C Run 3
2.0
Linear (40 C
Run 2)
1/α Cor 1.5 Linear (40 C
Run 3)
1.0
y = -0.1495x + 2.7573
0.5 R² = 0.9945

0.0 y = -0.1606x + 2.6751

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 R² = 0.9925
Time (min)

Figure 2: All equations are in order of run (run1 and 2 were exactly the same therefore there is only two equations) the
average slope is -0.1532.

ln(Alpha) vs. Time 50 C MCAA Runs

3.5 50 C Run 1

50 C Run 2
3.0
50 C Run 3
2.5
Linear (50 C
Run 1)
2.0 Linear (50 C
1/αCor Run 2)
1.5 Linear (50 C
Run 3)
y = -0.0159x + 3.0289
1.0
R² = 0.9829

0.5 y = -0.0138x + 2.9127

R² = 0.9782
0.0 y = -0.0146x + 2.8526
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 R² = 0.9623
Time (min)

Figure 3: All equations are in order of run and the average slope is -0.0148.
 ln(Alpha) vs. Time 60 C MCAA Runs
3.5 60 C Run 1

3.0 60 C run 2

2.5 60 C Run 3

Linear (60 C
2.0
Run 1)
αCor Linear (60 C
1.5
run 2)
Linear (60 C
1.0 Run 3)

0.5 y = -0.0443x + 2.9338

R² = 0.9609
0.0 y = -0.0358x + 2.7861
0 10 20 30 40 50 R² = 0.976
y = -0.0357x + 2.7955
Time (min)
R² = 0.984

Figure 4: All equations are in order of run and the average slope is -0.0389.

HCl Activation E
-1.85
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04
-1.9
-1.95
-2
-2.05
ln(K) HCl Activation E
-2.1
Linear (HCl Activation E)
-2.15
-2.2
y = -31.695x - 1.103
-2.25 R² = 1
-2.3
1/Temp

Figure 5: Graph of the activation energy of HCl

 MCAA Activation E
0
-0.5 0 0.005 0.01 0.015 0.02 0.025

-1
-1.5
-2 MCAA Activation E
ln(K)
-2.5
Linear (MCAA Activation
-3 E)
-3.5
y = -279.3x + 1.3707
-4 R² = 1
-4.5
1/Temp

Figure 6: Graph of the activation energy of MCAA.

The activation energy was determined by taking the -(slope *the ideal gas constant(R)) therefore the
activation energy of HCl is 263.5 kJ/mol and the activation energy of MCAA is 2322.2 kJ/mol. The rate of
reaction was found to be:

K for HCl K for MCAA

Actual Temp (°C) Avg K Rate Actual Temp (°C) Avg K Rate
28 -0.107 -0.06206 50 -0.015 -0.00856
41 -0.1532 -0.08886 60.5 -0.03893 -0.02258

This rate is determined by multiplying the Average K by the concentration of the sucrose solution used
(0.58 M).
Bibliography
Garland, C. W., Nibler, J. W., & Shoemaker, D. P. (2009). Experiments in Physical Chemistry 8th edition.
New York: McGraw-Hill.

Colby College. (2009, September 23). Retrieved January 18, 2011, from Inversion of sucrose:
http://www.colby.edu/chemistry/PChem/lab/InversionSucrose.pdf

Grossie, D. (2007, October 23). Wright State University Department of Chemistry. Retrieved January 19,
2011, from Invertion of Sucrose; Kenetics of a pseudo-first order reaction determined by
polarimetry: http://www.chm.wright.edu/grossie/chm457/Inversion%20of%20Sucrose.pdf
Appendix A:

Inversion of Sucrose (Actual Temp: 28 C) Inversion of Sucrose (Actual Temp: 41 C)

HCl @ 30°C ° of Rotation HCl @ 40°C ° of Rotation
Time (min.) Run 1 Run 2 Run 3 Time (min.) Run 1 Run 2 Run 3
0.00 11.6 11.5 9.4 0.00 11.2 11.2 10.5
2.00 6.1 5.8 9.0 2.00 8.4 8.4 7.3
4.00 4.0 4.5 8.8 4.00 4.3 4.3 3.2
6.00 2.5 2.8 8.0 6.00 2.7 2.7 1.2
8.00 1.0 2.2 7.4 8.00 0.7 0.7 0.1
10.00 0.8 0.5 6.2 10.00 -0.5 -0.5 -1.0
12.00 -2.4 -1.6 5.9
14.00 5.7
16.00 4.7
18.00 3.7
20.00 3.8
22.00 3.4
24.00 3.0
26.00 2.3
28.00 1.7

HCl ∞ MCAA ∞
-4.0 -4.0

Inversion of Sucrose (Actual Temp: 50 C) Inversion of Sucrose (Actual Temp: 60.5 C)

MCAA @ 50°C ° of Rotation MCAA @ 60°C ° of Rotation
Time (min.) Run 1 Run 2 Run 3 Time (min.) Run 1 Run 2 Run 3
0.00 15.6 15.0 14.0 0.00 13.3 13.3 13.4
10.00 13.0 10.6 9.4 5.00 10.4 10.4 10.0
20.00 11.0 9.3 8.9 10.00 8.3 8.0 8.0
30.00 8.7 8.9 7.0 15.00 6.8 5.2 5.2
40.00 6.7 6.8 5.8 20.00 4.4 2.9 3.8
50.00 6.3 5.0 4.5 25.00 3.1 1.9 1.9
60.00 3.9 3.9 3.3 30.00 0.1 1.4 1.4
70.00 3.6 3.4 2.7 35.00 -0.1 0.5 0.5
80.00 2.0 3.0 2.0 40.00 0 0
90.00 1.0 1.7 1.1 45.00 -0.3 -0.3
100.00 0.4 0.2 -0.8
110.00 -1.0 -0.3