Cyclic Structures of Monosaccharides Hemiacetal Formation

Section 22.10 Cyclic Structure of Monosaccharides Hemiacetal Formation... 

Monosaccharides can have both cyclic and straight chain structures. Cyclomonosaccharides are formed when straight-chain monosaccharides are dissolved in water. In this case, the number of asymmetrical carbon atoms increases to five. This process is known as hemiacetal formation. Let us examine the formation of the cyclic structure in the glucose molecule. 

The compound 3,5-dihydroxy-2-methyl-5,6-dihydropyran-4-one (V in Formula 4.67) is also formed from the pyranoid hemiacetals of l-deoxy-2,3-hexodiulose (Formula 4.75). In comparison, maltol is preferentially formed from disaccharides like maltose or lactose (Formula 4.76) and not from dihydroxypyranone by water elimination. The formation of maltol from monosaccharides is negligible. A comparison of the decomposition of 1-deoxyosones from the corresponding cyclic pyranone structure clearly shows (cf. Formula 4.75 and 4.76) that the glyco-sidically bound carbohydrate in the disaccharide directs the course of water elimination in another direction (Formula 4.76). It is the stabilization of the intermediates to quasi-aromatic maltol which makes possible the cleavage of the glycosidic bond with the formation of maltol. Parallel to the formation of maltol, isomaltol derivatives which still contain the second carbohydrate molecule are also formed from disaccharides (Formula 4.77). Indeed, the formation of free isomaltol is possible by the hydrolysis of the... 

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