The correct statement about gluconic acid is

Options

A. It is prepared by oxidation of glucose with HNO3
B. It is obtained by partial oxidation of glucose
C. It is a dicarboxylic acid
D. It forms hemiacetals or acetal

Answer

To determine the correct statement about gluconic acid, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understand the Structure of Gluconic Acid
Gluconic acid is a six-carbon compound (hexose) with a carboxylic acid functional group. The structure can be represented as follows:

- The first five carbons (C1 to C5) are connected by single bonds and have hydroxyl (–OH) groups attached.
- The sixth carbon (C6) has a carboxylic acid group (–COOH) attached.

### Step 2: Identify the Relationship with Glucose
Gluconic acid is derived from glucose, which is an aldohexose. The conversion from glucose to gluconic acid involves the oxidation of the aldehyde group (–CHO) of glucose to a carboxylic acid group (–COOH).

### Step 3: Consider the Oxidation Process
The oxidation of glucose to gluconic acid can occur through various reagents such as:
- Tollen's reagent
- Fehling's solution
- Bromine water

In this process, only the aldehyde group is oxidized to a carboxylic acid, while the other hydroxyl groups remain unchanged.

### Step 4: Analyze the Properties of Gluconic Acid
- Gluconic acid is not a dicarboxylic acid; it has only one carboxylic acid group, making it a monocarboxylic acid.
- There is no carbonyl (C=O) group in gluconic acid that would allow it to form hemiacetals or acetals.

### Conclusion
Based on the above analysis, the correct statement about gluconic acid is that it is a product of the partial oxidation of glucose, and it is a monocarboxylic acid.