Sucrose neutron diffraction studies

Conformation. Neutron diffraction studies of sucrose revealed the presence of two strong intramolecular hydrogen bonds 0-2—HO-1 and 0-5—HO-6 in the crystal form (7,8). These interactions hold the molecule in a weU-ordered and rigid conformation. The two rings are disposed at an angle close to 90°, with the glucopyranosyl and fmctofuranosyl residues adapting chair and T" twist conformations, respectively. 

The crystal structure of sucrose has been established by X-ray diffraction and neutron diffraction studies. The packing of sucrose molecules in the crystal lattice is determined mainly by hydrogen bond formation between hydroxyl groups of the fructose moiety. As an example of the type of packing of molecules in a sucrose crystal, a projection of the crystal structure along the a axis is shown in Figure 4-15. The dotted square represents one unit cell. The crystal faces indicated in this figure follow planes between adjacent sucrose molecules in such a way that the... 

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