PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- All monosaccharides which have an asymmetric carbon are able to rotate polarized light either to left side (laevorotatory) or right side (dextrorotatory).
- Dextrorotatory sugars are more common as compared to laevorotatory ones.
- Laevorotatory fructose (L-fructose) is present in honey and is called laevulose.
- Pentoses, hexoses and heptoses exist in two forms, Open chain and Ring form.
- Ring form is again of two types :
(a) Pyranose. Hexagon with 5 carbons and one oxygen.
(b) Furanose. Pentagon with 4 carbons and one oxygen.
- Both words are given by Howarth.