Carbohydrates: Structure and Function

A sugar with an aldehyde group as its most oxidized functional group.

A sugar with a ketone group as its most oxidized functional group.

Molecules with the same chemical formula but different spatial arrangements of atoms.

A carbon atom bonded to four different groups.

The number of stereoisomers is determined by the number of chiral carbons.

A carbonyl carbon atom is the carbon atom in the aldehyde or ketone group.

Glucose is an aldohexose with four chiral carbons.

The stereoisomers of a monosaccharide differ in the spatial arrangement of the H and OH groups around the chiral carbons.

Stereoisomers of a monosaccharide with more than one chiral center. They are non-superimposable mirror images of each other. The D and L forms are determined by the configuration of the furthest chiral center from the aldehyde or ketone group.

Stereoisomers that differ only in the configuration around one chiral center.

Sugars with six carbon atoms.

Sugars with five carbon atoms.

Cyclic sugar forms resembling the organic compound pyran.

Cyclic sugar forms resembling the organic compound furan.

The chiral center furthest away from the aldehyde or ketone group in a monosaccharide.

A monosaccharide with the -OH group on the bottom chiral center pointing to the right in a Fischer projection.

An intra-molecular reaction between an aldehyde group and an alcohol group within the same molecule, resulting in a cyclic structure called a hemiacetal.

An intra-molecular reaction between a ketone group and an alcohol group within the same molecule, resulting in a cyclic structure called a hemiketal.

A linear representation of a sugar molecule, showing the arrangement of atoms and functional groups in a chain structure.

A type of carbohydrate that consists of a single sugar molecule.

A type of carbohydrate that consists of two sugar molecules linked together.

A carbohydrate made up of many sugar units linked together.

A type of bond that links two sugar molecules together.

A type of glycosidic bond that links two sugars together with a specific configuration, important in starch and maltose.

A type of glycosidic bond that links two sugars together with a specific configuration, important in lactose and cellulose.

A type of glycosidic bond that links two sugars together with a specific configuration, important in sucrose.

The process of forming a glycosidic bond by removing a water molecule.

A disaccharide formed by the condensation of two glucose molecules with an α(1→4) glycosidic bond.

A disaccharide formed by the condensation of two glucose molecules with a β(1→4) glycosidic bond.

A carbohydrate categorized as a reducing sugar because it has a free anomeric carbon.

A sugar with a free anomeric carbon capable of forming an open chain structure.

The type of glycosidic bond that links the glucose units in cellulose. The bond direction is from carbon 1 to carbon 4, and the oxygen atom is orientated in a beta configuration.

The type of glycosidic bond that links the glucose units in the main chain of glycogen. The bond direction is from carbon 1 to carbon 4, and the orientation is alpha.

The type of glycosidic bond that creates the branches in glycogen. The bond direction is from carbon 1 to carbon 6, and the orientation is alpha.

The specific arrangement of monomers in a polymer. It describes how the monomers are connected to each other and the spatial orientation of the bonds.

The ability of a molecule to donate a proton, or, more specifically, the tendency of a molecule to lose a hydrogen ion (H+) in solution.

A substance or entity that can readily accept or attract electrons from another chemical species to form a bond.

A compound with an aldehyde group as its most oxidized functional group. This functional group has a carbonyl carbon atom bonded to one hydrogen atom and one alkyl or aryl group.

A compound with a ketone group as its most oxidized functional group. This functional group has a carbonyl carbon atom bonded to two alkyl or aryl groups.

A molecule that has an asymmetric carbon atom (a carbon atom that is bonded to four different groups). This results in the molecule having non-superimposable mirror images, known as enantiomers.

The ability for a molecule to rotate the plane of polarized light, due to the presence of an asymmetric carbon atom.

A structure with a ring formed from six carbon atoms. It is a common conformation of monosaccharides.

A structure with a ring formed from five carbon atoms. It is a common conformation of monosaccharides.

The process of converting a linear sugar into a cyclic form.

The functional group containing a carbonyl bond (C=O) in which the carbon atom of the carbonyl is attached to two alkyl or aryl groups.

A functional group containing a carbonyl bond (C=O) where the carbon atom of the carbonyl is attached to one hydrogen atom and one alkyl or aryl group.

The specific arrangement of atoms in a molecule, including their spatial orientation.

The process of converting a Fischer projection into a Haworth projection.