What is the simplest pathway from glucose to $\ce{H2O}$ and $\ce{CO2}$, such that 1. reactions all happen in aqueous solution with pH between 5 and 8, 2. temperature is in range between 0 and 35 °C, 3. no (expensive) enzymes are required, 4. the reaction is completed in around 6 hours, and 5. no toxic or harmful intermediates are formed and no toxic or harmful catalysts are used? I realize that one possible answer to this would be, in biochemistry, glycolysis $\ce{->}$ pyruvate decarboxylation $\ce{->}$ citric acid cycle $\ce{->}$ oxidative phosphorylation; this is a fairly complex reaction cascade, however. Is there a way chemistry could simplify this in comparable (more or less physiological) conditions? Aside from a possible (retro-)synthetic approach, there might be a catalytic option. I've found [this publication][1] by Degering and Upson (1931) that describes iron pyrophosphate as a catalyst, but the reaction times are far higher (around 3 weeks) and the reaction appears to be relatively messy in terms of products. [1]: http://www.jbc.org/content/94/2/423.full.pdf