Carbohydrate Chemistry Flashcards

Flashcards about Carbohydrate Chemistry

What is a significant challenge in studying carbohydrate chemistry?

The stereochemistry associated with the carbohydrates.

What should a student do to understand carbohydrate chemistry?

Study the materials of the chapter at least three times.

What is the general formula of Carbohydrates?

Cn(H2O)n

What is a primary alcohol in the context of carbohydrates?

An alcohol group attached to a carbon that is attached to only one other carbon.

What is a secondary alcohol in the context of carbohydrates?

An alcohol group attached to a carbon that is attached to two other carbons.

What is an aldose?

A carbohydrate containing an aldehyde functionality.

What is a ketose?

A carbohydrate containing a ketone functionality.

What is a triose?

A carbohydrate with three carbons.

What is a tetrose?

A carbohydrate with four carbons.

What is a pentose?

A carbohydrate with five carbons.

What is a hexose?

A carbohydrate with six carbons.

What is a heptose?

A carbohydrate with seven carbons.

Who developed the Fisher projection?

Emile Fisher

In the Fisher projection, how is the carbon chain shown?

As a linear line of carbons, numbered from top to bottom.

How are L and D isomers classified in the Fisher projection?

If the last secondary alcohol group is on the left, it is an "L" carbohydrate; if on the right, it is a "D" carbohydrate.

What is the relationship between D-sugars and L-sugars in biochemistry?

Unlike amino acids, both D- and L-sugars are frequently encountered.

What is the enantiomer?

If the structure has only one asymmetric carbon, then it can exist as two optical isomers, called the enantiomers

What are diastereomers?

If two molecules differ in the stereochemistry of some, but not all their asymmetric carbons, they are referred to as diastereomers.

What is C2-epimer?

D-mannose differs from D-glucose in the asymmetry of carbon “2”; thus D-mannose is referred to as the C2-epimer of D-glucose.

What is C4-epimer?

D-galactose differs from D-glucose in the asymmetry of carbon “4”; thus D-galactose is referred to as the C4-epimer of D-glucose.