Tetrose
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A tetrose is a monosaccharide with 4 carbon atoms. They have either an aldehyde functional group in position 1 (aldotetroses) or a ketone functional group in position 2 (ketotetroses).[1][2]
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D-Erythrose
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D-Threose
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D-Erythrulose
The aldotetroses have two chiral centers ("asymmetric carbon atoms") and so 4 different stereoisomers are possible. There are two naturally occurring stereoisomers, the enantiomers of erythrose and threose having the D configuration but not the L enantiomers. The ketotetroses have one chiral center and, therefore, two possible stereoisomers: erythrulose (L- and D-form). Again, only the D enantiomer is naturally occurring.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Thisbe K. Lindhorst (2007). Essentials of Carbohydrate Chemistry and Biochemistry (1 ed ed.). Wiley-VCH. ISBN 3527315284.
- ^ John F. Robyt (1997). Essentials of Carbohydrate Chemistry (1 ed ed.). Springer. ISBN 0387949518.
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