Page 147 - Encyclopedia of Chemical Compounds 3 Vols

ASCORBIC ACID

Interesting Facts

• The vitamin C produced by other flu-like diseases.
plants and by synthetic Because of his reputation
methods are chemically (he won two Nobel Prizes,
identical and have identi- one in chemistry, as well as
cal effects in the human the Peace Prize), his view-
body. point was highly respected.
He was not, however, able
• American chemist Linus
to prove his theory to
Pauling (1901–1994) believed
the satisfaction of his
that very large doses of
scientific colleagues.
vitamin C could prevent and
cure the common cold and

yet another sugar, sorbose. The sorbose is then converted
step-by-step into a series of other products, the last of which
is ascorbic acid.
Chemists have long been searching for an alternative to
the Reichstein process because it uses so much energy and
produces by-products that are hazardous to the environ-
ment. In the 1960s, Chinese scientists developed a method
that involves only two steps in the synthesis of ascorbic
acid, and in the early 2000s, Scottish scientists were
attempting to develop a method that involved only a single
step using fermentation. Currently, however, the Reichstein
process remains the most popular method for making the
compound.

COMMON USES AND POTENTIAL HAZARDS
The best known use of vitamin C is as a nutritional
supplement, taken to ensure that one receives his or her
daily minimum requirement of the vitamin. The recom-
mended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin C for adults is 60
milligrams per day. Anyone who eats a well-balanced diet
that includes citrus fruits, tomatoes, and green leafy vegeta-
bles probably does not need to take a vitamin supplement.
However, the amount of vitamin C one normally receives
from a supplement is unlikely to cause any harm.

96 CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS