Table 1.

Ketolase reaction catalyzed by thiazolium salt at pH 8

Entry	5-Carbon sugars*	Product ratio†
1‡	Xylulose	4.2
2	Ribulose	1
3	Arabinose	1.2
4	Xylose	0.5
5	Ribose	0.4
6	Lyxose	0.4

*Isolated as 2-nitrophenyl hydrazone derivative.

^†Determined by ¹H-NMR spectra.

^‡Enantiopurity of D-xylulose was determined by HPLC analysis as 1.1% ee.