3.carbs Overview

CARBOHYDRATES
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are compounds containing
carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in which the
ratio of C:H:O is 1:2:1. They are carbon
hydrates with a general empirical formula of:
Cn(H2O)n.
e.g. Glucose C6H12O6 or (CH2O)6 or C6(H2O)6

Origin of Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are formed by plants where

the CO2 is taken from air and water (H2O) from
soil to form sugar in a process called:
Photosynthesis.
Functions of Carbohydrates
1. Energy source.
2. Storage form.
3. Structural form.
Classification of Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates, also known as saccharides
There are four major classes:
1. Monosaccharides or (simple sugar).
2. Disaccharides: contain 2 monosaccharides.
3. Oligosaccharides: contain 3-12
monosaccharides.
4. Polysaccharides (complex sugars): contain
more than 12 monosaccharides.
Monosaccharides
Monosaccharides are single sugars that

cannot be broken down into other sugars.
Classification
Monosaccharides are classified according to
different characteristics:
-The placement of its carbonyl group,
-The number of carbon atoms it contains,
Classification according to the placement of its
carbonyl group(C=O)
1. Aldose
If the carbonyl group is
an aldehyde, the
monosaccharide is an
aldose and C=O at the
end of the chain.
2. Ketose
If the carbonyl group is a
ketone, the monosaccharide
is a ketose and C=O in the
middle of the chain.
Isomers, Epimers, and Anomers?
Isomers
Isomers are compounds that have the same
chemical formula but different structural
formula.
They all have the same chemical formula C6H12O6
but different structure.
Epimers
Epimers are two monosaccharides that have
different configurations around one carbon
atom.
e.g. Glucose and mannose are C2 epimers
β-D-glucose β-D-mannose
Anomers
An anomer is a special type of epimers, it is
one of two structures of a cyclic saccharide
that differs only in its configuration at the
aldose or ketose carbon, also called the
anomeric carbon.
β
α
α-D-glucose β-D-glucose
C1 is the anomeric carbon

Classification according to the number of
carbon atoms
• Trios: 3 carbons.
• Tetrose: 4 carbons.
• Pentose: 5 carbons.
• Hexose: 6 carbons.
• Heptose: 7 carbons.
Monosaccharides
All carbon atoms in the
monosaccharide are linked
together by a single bond.
And all are attached to –H and
–OH groups except one carbon
that has –O double bonded to it.
Structure of Glucose
Monosaccharides
Monosaccharides with
5 or more carbon
atoms can form a ring
structure. This sugar
will be in the cyclic
form.
Cyclic Glucose
Monosaccharides
They exist as D or L form.
D glucose can rotate plane
polarized light in clockwise
direction and are abundant
in nature.
L glucose can rotate plane
polarized light in
counterclockwise direction
and are less abundant in
nature.
Common Monosaccharides
The most common monosaccharides are
hexoses: glucose, fructose, and galactose.
• Glucose is an aldohexose that is known as
grape sugar. It is the most important sugar in
our body present in blood or stored in tissues.
• Galactose is also an aldohexose.
• Fructose is a ketohexose that is known as fruit
sugar.
Reducing Properties of Monosaccharides
A reducing sugar is any sugar that is capable of

acting as a reducing agent. In alkaline solution a
reducing sugar forms some aldehyde or ketone,
which allows it to act as a reducing agent, for
example in Benedict’s reagent. In such reaction a
sugar becomes a carboxylic acid.
Disaccharides
Disaccharides are formed by the combination
of two monosaccharides by a glycosidic bond.
This bond is formed when a water molecule is
removed, -H from the anomeric carbon of one
sugar and –OH from any other carbon of the
second sugar.
H2O
Glycosidic Bond
Common Disaccharides
There are three common disaccharides: Sucrose
(cane sugar/ at home), Maltose (malt sugar),
and Lactose (milk sugar).
• Sucrose; α-Glucose + β-Fructose linked by α-1,2

glycosidic bond.
• Maltose; α-Glucose + β-Glucose linked by α-1,4
glycosidic bond.
• Lactose; β-Galactose + (α/β)-Glucose linked by
β-1,4 glycosidic bond.
Sucrose
Maltose
α-1,4 glycosidic bond

β-1,4 glycosidic bond
Reducing Properties of Disaccharides
Maltose and Lactose are reducing sugars

because they have free aldehyde group while
Sucrose is not a reducing sugar because it
lacks a free aldehyde or ketone group.
Polysaccharides
Polysaccharides are polymers of
monosaccharides.
There are two types of polysaccharides:
• Homopolysaccharides: contain one kind of
monosaccharide.
• Heteropolysaccharides: contain different
kinds of monosaccharides.
Common Polysaccharides
The most common polysaccharides are: Starch,
cellulose, glycogen, and dextrin.
All these polysaccharides are only made up of
glucose.
• Plants store their food as starch.

• Plants use cellulose as supporting and structural parts
(wood, cotton, paper).
• Animals store their food as glycogen. And in our body,
glucose is stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen.
Mono & disaccharides VS Polysaccharides
Property Mono- and Disaccharides Polysaccharides
Molecular Mass Low Very high
Taste Sweet Tasteless
Solubility in Water Soluble Insoluble
Filtration through Pass Do not Pass

membranes
Reducing property Yes No

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CARBOHYDRATES

e.g. Glucose C6H12O6 or (CH2O)6 or C6(H2O)6

Carbohydrates are formed by plants where

Monosaccharides are single sugars that

C1 is the anomeric carbon

A reducing sugar is any sugar that is capable of

• Sucrose; α-Glucose + β-Fructose linked by α-1,2

α-1,4 glycosidic bond

Maltose and Lactose are reducing sugars

• Plants store their food as starch.

Property Mono- and Disaccharides Polysaccharides

Molecular Mass Low Very high

Taste Sweet Tasteless

Solubility in Water Soluble Insoluble

Filtration through Pass Do not Pass

Reducing property Yes No

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