What Are the Characteristic Reactions of Monosaccharides

In this section, we discuss reactions of monosaccharides with alcohols, reducing agents, and oxidizing agents. In addition, we examine how these reactions are useful in our everyday lives. 

As we saw in Section 12.6A, treating an aldehyde or a ketone with one molecule of alcohol yields a hemiacetal, and treating the hemiacetal with a molecule of alcohol yields an acetal. Treating a monosaccharide, all forms of which exist as cyclic hemiacetals, with an alcohol gives an acetal, as illustrated by the reaction of jS-D-glucopyranose (jS-D-glucose) with methanol  

Glycoside A carbohydrate in which the —OH on its anomeric carbon is replaced by —OR. 

Glycosidic bond The bond from the anomeric carbon of a glycoside to an —OR group. 

Draw a structural formula for methyl /3-D-ribofuranoside (methyl /3-D-riboside). Label the anomeric carbon and the glycosidic bond. 

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