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Question:

Fructose reduces Tollen's reagent due to: asymmetric carbons, primary alcoholic groups, secondary alcoholic group, enolisation of fructose followed by conversion to aldehyde by base

secondary alcoholic group

enolisation of fructose followed by conversion to aldehyde by base

asymmetric carbons

primary alcoholic groups

Solution:

Fructose reduces Tollen's reagent due to enolisation of fructose followed by conversion to aldehyde by base. Only aldehydes reduce Tollen's reagent. But fructose is a ketone. In aqueous solution, fructose is enolised and then converted into aldehyde in basic medium. All aldehydes generally reduce Tollen's reagent, thus fructose also reduces Tollen's reagent. Option D is correct.