Question

Hydrolysis of sucrose is called

• A. inversion
• B. esterification
• C. hydration
• D. saponification

Answer 1

Answer: (A)

inversion

Answer 2

On hydrolysis, sucrose gives an equimolar mixture of $D(+)$ glucose and $D(-)$ fructose.
$\underset{(+)}{C_{12}H_{22}O_{11}} + H_2O \rightarrow \underset{(+) \text{glucose}}{C_6H_{12}O_6} + \underset{(-) \text{fructose}}{C_6H_{12}O_6}$
Here, the configuration of sucrose changes (gets inverted) after hydrolysis, thus its hydrolysis is called inversion.