Diose
Encyclopedia
A diose is a monosaccharide
containing two carbon
atom
s. Because the general chemical formula
of an unmodified monosaccharide is (C·H2O)n, where n is three or greater, it does not meet the formal definition of a monosaccharide. However, since it does fit the formula (C·H2O)n, it is sometimes thought of as the most basic sugar. There is only one possible diose, glycolaldehyde
(2-hydroxyethanal), which is an aldodiose (a ketodiose is not possible since there are only two carbons).
Monosaccharide
Monosaccharides are the most basic units of biologically important carbohydrates. They are the simplest form of sugar and are usually colorless, water-soluble, crystalline solids. Some monosaccharides have a sweet taste. Examples of monosaccharides include glucose , fructose , galactose, xylose...
containing two carbon
Carbon
Carbon is the chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6. As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it is nonmetallic and tetravalent—making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds...
atom
Atom
The atom is a basic unit of matter that consists of a dense central nucleus surrounded by a cloud of negatively charged electrons. The atomic nucleus contains a mix of positively charged protons and electrically neutral neutrons...
s. Because the general chemical formula
Chemical formula
A chemical formula or molecular formula is a way of expressing information about the atoms that constitute a particular chemical compound....
of an unmodified monosaccharide is (C·H2O)n, where n is three or greater, it does not meet the formal definition of a monosaccharide. However, since it does fit the formula (C·H2O)n, it is sometimes thought of as the most basic sugar. There is only one possible diose, glycolaldehyde
Glycolaldehyde
Glycolaldehyde is the smallest possible molecule that contains both an aldehyde group and a hydroxyl group. It is the only possible diose, a 2-carbon monosaccharide, although a diose is not strictly a saccharide...
(2-hydroxyethanal), which is an aldodiose (a ketodiose is not possible since there are only two carbons).
See also
- TrioseTrioseA triose is a monosaccharide, or simple sugar, containing three carbon atoms. There are only three possible trioses: L-Glyceraldehyde and D-Glyceraldehyde, both aldotrioses because the carbonyl group is at the end of the chain, and dihydroxyacetone, a ketotriose because the carbonyl group is in...
- TetroseTetroseA tetrose is a monosaccharide with 4 carbon atoms. They have either an aldehyde functional group in position 1 or a ketone functional group in position 2 ....
- PentosePentoseA pentose is a monosaccharide with five carbon atoms. Pentoses are organized into two groups. Aldopentoses have an aldehyde functional group at position 1...
- HexoseHexoseIn organic chemistry, a hexose is a monosaccharide with six carbon atoms, having the chemical formula C6H12O6. Hexoses are classified by functional group, with aldohexoses having an aldehyde at position 1, and ketohexoses having a ketone at position 2....
- HeptoseHeptoseA heptose is a monosaccharide with seven carbon atoms.They have either an aldehyde functional group in position 1 or a ketone functional group in position 2 ....