Unit 26: Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are a rich stereochemical playground and an ideal bridge from organic mechanism to biomolecular structure and recognition.

• Classify monosaccharides by carbonyl type and carbon count and use D/L terminology correctly.
• Convert between Fischer and Haworth viewpoints conceptually and identify anomers.
• Explain mutarotation, hemiacetal formation, and what makes a sugar reducing or nonreducing.
• Recognize epimers and glycosidic bond formation at a high level.

Checkpoint Questions

Q: What are glucose and galactose relative to each other?

A: They are epimers because they differ at only one stereocenter.

Q: Why does mutarotation occur in water?

A: Because the cyclic hemiacetal can open to the carbonyl form and reclose, interconverting alpha and beta anomers.