1. A Review of General Chemistry5h 5m
2. Molecular Representations1h 14m
3. Acids and Bases2h 46m
4. Alkanes and Cycloalkanes4h 19m
5. Chirality3h 39m
6. Thermodynamics and Kinetics1h 22m
7. Substitution Reactions1h 48m
8. Elimination Reactions2h 30m
9. Alkenes and Alkynes2h 9m
10. Addition Reactions3h 18m
11. Radical Reactions1h 58m
12. Alcohols, Ethers, Epoxides and Thiols2h 42m
13. Alcohols and Carbonyl Compounds2h 17m
14. Synthetic Techniques1h 26m
15. Analytical Techniques:IR, NMR, Mass Spect7h 3m
16. Conjugated Systems6h 13m
17. Ultraviolet Spectroscopy51m
18. Aromaticity2h 34m
19. Reactions of Aromatics: EAS and Beyond5h 1m
20. Phenols55m
21. Aldehydes and Ketones: Nucleophilic Addition4h 56m
22. Carboxylic Acid Derivatives: NAS2h 51m
23. The Chemistry of Thioesters, Phophate Ester and Phosphate Anhydrides1h 10m
24. Enolate Chemistry: Reactions at the Alpha-Carbon1h 53m
25. Condensation Chemistry2h 9m
26. Amines1h 43m
27. Heterocycles2h 0m
28. Carbohydrates5h 53m
29. Amino Acids3h 20m
30. Peptides and Proteins2h 42m
31. Catalysis in Organic Reactions1h 30m
32. Lipids 2h 50m
33. The Organic Chemistry of Metabolic Pathways2h 52m
34. Nucleic Acids1h 32m
35. Transition Metals6h 14m
36. Synthetic Polymers1h 49m

28. Carbohydrates

Monosaccharide

Organic Chemistry

28. Carbohydrates

Monosaccharide

Previous problemNext problem

3:19 minutes

Problem 20-42

Textbook Question

A student isolated a monosaccharide and determined that it had a molecular weight of 150. Much to his surprise, he found that it was not optically active.
What is the structure of the monosaccharide?

Verified step by step guidance

Identify the general formula for monosaccharides, which is \( C_nH_{2n}O_n \).

Calculate the possible number of carbon atoms (n) by using the molecular weight given (150 g/mol) and the approximate atomic weights of C (12 g/mol), H (1 g/mol), and O (16 g/mol).

Consider the possibility of the monosaccharide being a ketose or an aldose, and how this affects the structure.

Recognize that the lack of optical activity suggests the molecule is achiral, which means it could be a meso compound or a racemic mixture.

Determine the structure by considering common achiral monosaccharides, such as dihydroxyacetone, which fits the criteria of being achiral and having a molecular weight close to 150 g/mol.

Recommended similar problem, with video answer:

Verified Solution

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above

Video duration:

Play a video:

Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Monosaccharide Structure

Monosaccharides are the simplest form of carbohydrates, consisting of single sugar units. They typically have a backbone of carbon atoms, with hydroxyl groups (-OH) attached, and a carbonyl group (C=O) that can be either an aldehyde or a ketone. The structure can be linear or cyclic, with cyclic forms being more common in solution.

Optical Activity

Optical activity refers to the ability of a compound to rotate plane-polarized light, which is a characteristic of chiral molecules. A molecule is chiral if it has non-superimposable mirror images, typically due to the presence of one or more asymmetric carbon atoms. If a monosaccharide is not optically active, it suggests that it may have a symmetrical structure, leading to a cancellation of optical activity.

Molecular Weight and Composition

The molecular weight of a monosaccharide provides insight into its composition and structure. For a monosaccharide with a molecular weight of 150 g/mol, it typically corresponds to a simple sugar with a formula like C₆H₁₂O₆. Understanding the molecular formula helps in deducing the number of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms, which is crucial for determining the specific structure of the monosaccharide.