Chapter 8: Organic Macromolecules in Cellular Structures, Metabolism, and as Drugs: From Monosaccharides to Complex Carbohydrates

This chapter outlines the basic chemistry of carbohydrates starting from simple monosaccharides, through disaccharides, to polymers of monosaccharides as oligosaccharides and polysaccharides. Structural diversity in acyclic monosaccharides in aldose and ketose forms along with their stereochemistry are discussed. Common monosaccharides in five-membered (furanose) and six-membered (pyranose) ring forms and their chemistry related to anomeric proton, mutarotation, and glycosidic linkages are outlined. Further structural diversity as exemplified by amino sugars and carbohydrate-based drug therapeutics are presented with the aid of practical examples and problem-solving exercises.