Question

A dehydration reaction joins two glucose molecules to form maltose. The formula for glucose is C₆H₁₂O₆. What is the formula for maltose?

Short answer

C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁is the formula for maltose.

Step-by-step solution

Dehydration reaction

Dehydration is a chemical reaction in which a water molecule is released during the synthesis of a polymer. When a bond between two monomers is created, a water molecule is produced during this reaction.

This process is characterized as dehydration because it loses a water molecule, the polar opposite of the hydrolysis event, which uses water.

Formation of glucose polymer

The most prevalent monomer in nature is glucose. Glucose molecules are bonded together during the development of a glucose polymer, with each bond resulting in the removal of a water molecule.

Between two monosaccharides, a glycosidic bond is formed when glucose molecules join. For instance, maltose is formed when two glucose molecules unite.

Formula of maltose

C6H12O6. is the formula for glucose. Because maltose is made up of two glucose units, the formula for maltose must be C12H24O12. However, when two glucose molecules and a glycosidic bond are formed between two glucose units during polymerization, a water molecule is lost. As a result, maltose's chemical formula is C12H22O11, not C12H24O12.

Thus, dehydration synthesis joins the two glucose units, with one water molecule lost during the process. As a result, maltose has the formula C12H22O11.