Haworth projections, monosaccharide structure

Haworth projection common way of representing the cyclic structure of monosaccharides using a three-dimensional perspective. 

A major drawback of cyclic Fischer projections is the unrealistic manner in which the structures are depicted. In 1929, Haworth designed a representation to address this deficiency. Haworth projections provide a simple way to represent cyclic monosaccharides with a three-dimensional perspective. The following process allows the conversion of a Fischer projection into a Haworth representation ... 

William Mills described a similar convention to depict the structures of monosaccharides. While the ring atoms of the Haworth projections are oriented perpendicular to the paper, Mills chose to depict the carbon skeleton in the plane of the paper (Fig. 1.5). Although Fischer, Haworth, and Mills projections are useful tools for depicting the structures of carbohydrates, the planar nature of these representations does not provide an accurate picture of the actual geometry of the molecules. In order to understand carbohydrate function and reactivity, recognition of each distinct conformation and the properties associated with it is required [15]. 

Using methods similar to Fischer s, the straight-chain form of any monosaccharide can be worked out. As we have seen, however, monosaccharides exist mostly as cyclic pyra-nose or furanose hemiacetals. These hemiacetals are in equilibrium with the open-chain forms, so sugars can react like hemiacetals or like ketones and aldehydes. How can we freeze this equilibrium and determine the optimum ring size for any given sugar Sir Walter Haworth (inventor of the Haworth projection) used some simple chemistry to determine the pyranose structure of glucose in 1926. 

The Haworth projection formulas are neater ways of writing the ring forms shown in the equilibria above and yet preserving the configuration shown at each chiral carbon. It is not difficult to translate the open-chain structure for a monosaccharide into the Haworth ring structure. 

CONFORMATIONAL STRUCTURES Although Haworth projection formulas are often used to represent carbohydrate structure, they are oversimplifications. Bond angle analysis and X-ray analysis demonstrate that conformational formulas are more accurate representations of monosaccharide structure (Figure 7.10). Conformational structures are more accurate because they illustrate the puckered nature of sugar rings. 

Given the linear structure of a monosaccharide, draw the Haworth projection of its a- and p-cyclic forms and vice versa. 

Drawing the Haworth Projection of a Monosaccharide from the Structural Formula... 

The depictions of glucopyranose and fructofuranose shown in Figures 11.4 and 11.5 are Haworth projections. In such projections, the carbon atoms in the ring are not explicitly shown. The approximate plane of the ring is perpendicular to the plane of the paper, with the heavy line on the ring projecting toward the reader. Like Fischer projections, Haworth projections allow easy depiction of the stereochemistry of sugars. We will return to a more structurally realistic view of the conformations of cyclic monosaccharides shortly. 

You would do well to remember the configuration of groups on the Haworth projection of both a-D-glucopyranose and jS-D-glucopyranose as reference structures. Knowing how the Fischer projection of any other monosaccharide differs from that of D-glucose, you can then construct the Haworth projection of that other monosaccharide by reference to the Haworth projection of D-glucose. 

Cyclic monosaccharide structures are often drawn as Haworth projections in... 

Carbohydrates Chiral Molecules Fischer Projections of Monosaccharides Haworth Structures of Monosaccharides Chemical Properties of Monosaccharides Disaccharides Polysaccharides... 

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