Carbohydrates Flashcards
What are carbohydrates formed from
carbon dioxide and water
What is the carbohydrate empirical formula
(CH20)n, where n =3
How many stereoiosmers can a molecule with n chiral centres have
2^n
Characteristics of monosaccharides
colourless, crystalline solids, water soluble, sweet tasting, exist in open chain and ring structures
What are the 2 families of simple sugars (monosaccharides)
aldoses (aldehyde), ketoses (ketones)
What are epimers
carbohydrates that differ in the location of one of the -OH groups in one location
What is an L configuration
rotates light in an anticlockwise direction
What is D configuration
rotates light that is polarised in a clockwise direction
What determines if the aldose/ketose is an L/D
The spatial orientation of C5 groups
Monosaccharide: aldoses
6 carbon sugar (hexose). Carbonyl group at the end of the chain (aldehyde), reducing sugar, asymmetric chrial centres at C2, C3, C4 and C5
Monosaccharide: ketoses
6 carbon sugar (hexoses). Carbonyl position at C2 (ketone), asymmetric chiral centres at C3, C4 and C5
What is an anomer
OH group differs at acetal/hemiacetal carbon
Monosaccharide: ring formation
Aldotetroses and monosaccharides > 5C exist as cyclic structures. Covalent bond between carbonyl group and oxygen from OH. Produces another chiral centre
Monosaccharide: Glycosidic bond formation
O-glycosidic bonds are formed when a hydroxyl group reacts with the anomeric carbon. Determines structure of oligo- and polysaccharides. Non reducing sugar
How are N-glycosidic bonds formed
when the anomeric carbon reacts with a nitrogen atom e.g. nucleotides and glycoproteins
Conformation of pyranose rings
saturated carbons produce non-planar structures. Axial substituents sterically hinder each other
What is the difference between the chair and boat form
In the chair conformation, the 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 6th carbon atoms lie on one plane whereas the 1st carbon is above the plane and 4th carbon is below the plane. In the boat conformation, 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th carbons are in one plane while the 3rd and 6th carbons are bent in the same plane outside of the plane.
What is a furanose rings
consists of four carbon and one oxygen atom with the anomeric carbon to the right of the oxygen. Not planar. Conformation is known as envelope form