Carbonyl compounds ring-size effects

Acyclic compounds decompose in a manner less complicated than that of the cyclic monosaccharides because of elimination of such factors (affecting the spectrum) as size of the ring, and because of an even smaller effect of the stereochemical differences. For this reason, the use of acyclic derivatives is most reasonable when the molecular weight of the monosaccharide, the position and size of specific groupings (for example, the position of the deoxy unit or acetamido grouping), and the position of the carbonyl group are to be determined. 

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