ALLIED Health The sugar alcohol ribitol is a component of the vitamin riboflavin and the energy transfer molecule FAD. Ribitol is formed when the monosaccharide ribose undergoes reduction at carbon 1. Draw the structure of ribitol.
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d-Ribose

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the structure of d-ribose, which is a five-carbon aldopentose sugar with the chemical formula C₅H₁₀O₅.
2. Recognize that reduction of ribose involves converting the aldehyde group at carbon 1 to an alcohol group, resulting in a sugar alcohol.
3. Draw the linear structure of ribose, which has an aldehyde group (CHO) at carbon 1 and hydroxyl groups (OH) on carbons 2, 3, 4, and 5.
4. Convert the aldehyde group at carbon 1 of ribose to a primary alcohol group (CH₂OH) to form ribitol.
5. Draw the structure of ribitol, which is a five-carbon sugar alcohol with hydroxyl groups on each carbon, specifically CH₂OH-CHOH-CHOH-CHOH-CH₂OH.

Key Concepts

Ribitol Structure

Ribitol is a sugar alcohol derived from ribose, specifically formed by the reduction of the aldehyde group at carbon 1 of ribose to a hydroxyl group. This structural change transforms ribose, a five-carbon sugar, into ribitol, which is important in various biological processes, including its role in the synthesis of riboflavin.

Riboflavin

Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, is a water-soluble vitamin that plays a crucial role in energy metabolism and the maintenance of healthy skin, eyes, and nerve functions. It is a component of the coenzymes FMN and FAD, which are essential for various enzymatic reactions in the body, including those involved in the electron transport chain.

FAD (Flavin Adenine Dinucleotide)

FAD is a redox cofactor involved in several important enzymatic reactions in metabolism. It is derived from riboflavin and serves as an electron carrier in the mitochondrial electron transport chain, facilitating the conversion of nutrients into energy. Understanding FAD's role is essential for grasping how ribitol and riboflavin contribute to cellular energy production.