Ketohexose
Ketohexose
Ketohexose (pronunciation: kee-toh-hek-sohs) is a type of monosaccharide that contains six carbon atoms and a ketone functional group.
Etymology
The term "ketohexose" is derived from the Greek words "keto", meaning ketone, and "hex", meaning six, referring to the six carbon atoms present in the molecule.
Structure
Ketohexoses have a six-membered ring structure. The most common ketohexose is fructose, which is a major sugar in fruits and honey. Other examples of ketohexoses include psicose, sorbose, and tagatose.
Properties
Ketohexoses are reducing sugars, meaning they can donate electrons to other molecules in a chemical reaction. This property is used in the Benedict's test and Fehling's test for reducing sugars.
Biological Role
In biology, ketohexoses play a crucial role in various metabolic processes. For instance, fructose is metabolized in the liver to produce energy. It is also a key component of sucrose, a common disaccharide found in many plants.
Related Terms
- Monosaccharide: The simplest form of sugar and the most basic units of carbohydrates.
- Ketone: An organic compound characterized by the presence of a carbonyl group in which the carbon atom is covalently bonded to an oxygen atom.
- Fructose: A ketohexose sugar found in many plants, where it is often bonded to glucose to form the disaccharide sucrose.
- Psicose: A rare naturally occurring ketohexose sugar, which is present in small quantities in commercial mixtures of D-glucose and D-fructose obtained by hydrolysis of sucrose.
- Sorbose: A ketohexose sugar that is used commercially in the production of Vitamin C.
- Tagatose: A functional sweetener used as a low-calorie carbohydrate sweetener.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Ketohexose
- Wikipedia's article - Ketohexose
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