Question

What do you mean by an anomeric carbon? Explain anomeric carbon in carbohydrates (sugars).

Answer 1

Cyclical forms:

1. Monosaccharides having 5 or 6 carbons in the chain gives cyclic structure in an aqueous solution via internal hemiacetal ( an aldehyde can react with alcohol to form a hemiacetal) or hemiketal ( a ketone react with alcohol to form a hemiketal) formation.

Anomeric carbon:

1. Cyclic monosaccharides or glycosides that are anomers are epimers and differ from one another by the configuration of C-1 if they are aldoses or C-2 if they are ketoses.
2. Anomeric carbon is a term used to describe the epimeric carbon in anomers.
3. The cyclic structure exists in two different configurational forms.
4. If the hydroxyl on the anomeric carbon is below the plane of the ring, it is said to be in the alpha position, if above the plane of the ring, it is in the beta position.
5. In glucose, the C-1 carbon atom is called the anomeric carbon atom, and the alpha and beta forms are called anomers.