Tutorial 12 — Carbohydrates

Note: This tutorial PDF consists primarily of scanned images. The questions below are reconstructed based on typical FAD1018 Tutorial 12 content on Carbohydrates.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Classify carbohydrates (monosaccharides, disaccharides, polysaccharides)
  2. Understand stereochemistry of sugars (D/L, α/β)
  3. Learn ring structures (Haworth projections)
  4. Identify reducing vs non-reducing sugars
  5. Understand carbohydrate reactions

Part A: Classification of Carbohydrates

Question 1

a) Define carbohydrate and give the general formula.

b) Classify carbohydrates based on the number of carbon atoms:

  • Trioses (3C)
  • Tetroses (4C)
  • Pentoses (5C)
  • Hexoses (6C)

c) Give one example of each type with its structure.


Question 2

a) Distinguish between:

  • Aldoses and ketoses
  • Monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides

b) Classify the following:

  • Glucose
  • Fructose
  • Sucrose
  • Starch
  • Ribose
  • Maltose

Part B: Stereochemistry of Monosaccharides

Question 3

a) What is the difference between D- and L- sugars?

b) How do you determine if a sugar is D- or L- configuration?

c) Draw the Fischer projection of D-glucose and L-glucose.

d) Identify the number of stereoisomers possible for:

  • Aldotetroses
  • Aldopentoses
  • Aldohexoses

Question 4

a) Define epimers. Give examples.

b) D-glucose and D-mannose are epimers at which carbon?

c) D-glucose and D-galactose are epimers at which carbon?

d) Draw the structures showing these relationships.


Part C: Cyclic Structures (Haworth Projections)

Question 5

a) Explain mutarotation using glucose as an example.

b) Draw the Haworth projection for:

  • α-D-glucopyranose
  • β-D-glucopyranose

c) What is the anomeric carbon? How does it differ in α and β forms?

d) What are the approximate percentages of α and β forms at equilibrium?


Question 6

a) Draw the Haworth structure of:

  • α-D-fructofuranose
  • β-D-fructofuranose

b) Why does fructose form a furanose ring while glucose prefers pyranose?

c) Convert the following Fischer projection to Haworth:

   CHO
    |
H-C-OH
    |
HO-C-H
    |
H-C-OH
    |
H-C-OH
    |
   CH2OH

(D-mannose)


Part D: Disaccharides

Question 7

a) Define glycosidic bond.

b) Draw the structure of maltose showing:

  • The monosaccharide units
  • The glycosidic linkage (α-1,4)
  • Whether it is a reducing sugar

c) Explain why maltose is a reducing sugar.


Question 8

a) Draw the structure of sucrose.

b) Identify the glycosidic linkage in sucrose.

c) Why is sucrose a non-reducing sugar?

d) What products are formed when sucrose is hydrolyzed?


Question 9

a) Compare and contrast lactose, maltose, and sucrose:

  • Monosaccharide units
  • Glycosidic linkages
  • Reducing/non-reducing
  • Sources

b) What is lactose intolerance?


Part E: Reactions of Carbohydrates

Question 10

a) What is the Benedict's test? Which sugars give a positive result?

b) Write the reaction of glucose with Benedict's reagent.

c) What color change indicates a positive test?


Question 11

a) Describe the iodine test for starch.

b) What color is observed with:

  • Starch
  • Glycogen
  • Cellulose

c) Explain the structural basis for the iodine-starch complex.


Question 12

a) What is the Osazone formation? What is its significance?

b) Which sugars form the same osazone?

c) Why is glucose and fructose said to form identical osazones?


Part F: Polysaccharides

Question 13

a) Compare starch and cellulose:

  • Monomer units
  • Glycosidic linkages
  • Function in nature
  • Digestibility by humans

b) Draw a segment of:

  • Amylose (showing α-1,4 linkages)
  • Cellulose (showing β-1,4 linkages)

c) Why can't humans digest cellulose?


Question 14

a) Compare glycogen and starch:

  • Structure
  • Function
  • Location in organisms

b) Why is glycogen more highly branched than amylopectin?


Key Concepts

  • Monosaccharide — Simple sugar (single unit)
  • Disaccharide — Two monosaccharide units linked
  • Polysaccharide — Many monosaccharide units
  • Aldose — Sugar with aldehyde group
  • Ketose — Sugar with ketone group
  • Pyranose — Six-membered ring sugar
  • Furanose — Five-membered ring sugar
  • Anomeric Carbon — Carbon that becomes chiral in cyclic form
  • Glycosidic Bond — Linkage between sugar units
  • Reducing Sugar — Sugar that can reduce other compounds
  • Mutarotation — Interconversion of α and β anomers

Summary Table: Common Carbohydrates

Carbohydrate Type Units Linkage Reducing?
Glucose Monosaccharide - - Yes
Fructose Monosaccharide - - Yes
Maltose Disaccharide Glu+Glu α-1,4 Yes
Lactose Disaccharide Gal+Glu β-1,4 Yes
Sucrose Disaccharide Glu+Fru α,β-1,2 No
Starch Polysaccharide Glucose α-1,4; α-1,6 -
Cellulose Polysaccharide Glucose β-1,4 -
Glycogen Polysaccharide Glucose α-1,4; α-1,6 -

Related Topics

  • Amino Acids
  • Biochemistry
  • Stereochemistry
  • Fischer Projection
  • Haworth Projection