[MantasMarcinkus]

Hello,
i have to theoretically describe how to convert Cellulose to 2,3-dihydroxypentane, but sadly, my chemistry class was so long time ago, that i can't even google this problem properly.

Thank you in advance,
Mantas

Edit:
I've added a picture of what i think does 2,3-dihydroxypentane looks like and cellulose as found in google.

[Babcock_Hall]

You must attempt a problem before we can help, according to Forum rules.  Your drawing is a start, but carbons 1 and 5 each need one more hydrogen atom to form a Lewis octet.  Also, your drawing of cellulose is incorrect at carbon-4, and the oxygen atom at carbon-1 needs a hydrogen atom.  It might be helpful to recall that celluose is just a 1,4-polymer of glucose.  After making those corrections the next thing I would do is to attempt to write a balanced equation.

[MantasMarcinkus]

This Cellulose is about right?

Also:
Cellulose        ?  2,3-dihydroxypentane
C₆H₁₀O₅ + ?? C₅H₁₂O₂
As i understand i am missing C and H₂ and have too much of Oxygen(O₃

So, I just did the balancing of equations and came up with this:
C₆H₁₀O₅ + H₂O C₆H₁₂O₂ + 2O₂
C₆H₁₂O₂ + O₂ C₅H₁₂O₂ + CO₂
What are the ways of achieving this? I suppose it won't happen by itself if i just "pour" water on it and then "put" some oxygen there?

P.S. i have to say, i have no chemical knowledge at this level.

[Babcock_Hall]

Microorganisms can do some odd fermentations.  For example one microorganism ferments three moles of glucose to 2 moles of 2,3-butanediol, two moles of glycerol, and four moles of CO₂.  However, the process you are suggesting does not really fit into the category of a fermentation.

[MantasMarcinkus]

Basically, this a biotechnology assignment and we can pretend we have Cellulose and we have to get 2,3-dihydroxypentane from it.
I found out that if i use hydrolysis(which includes water i needed):
cellulose  glucose
After that i found out that there is a way from glucose to xylose via kegg database and that lead me to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylitol, which is 1,2,3,4,5-Pentahydroxypentane, and so, now i have to remove unwanted xydroxy groups.

[Babcock_Hall]

The conversion of xylose to xylitol requires reducing power.  Do you have to propose a source of reducing equivalents?

[Babcock_Hall]

In the conversion of glucose to xylose, you could pick up some electrons, depending on what you do with the sixth carbon atom.