Question

Describe aldonic acids, uronic acids, alditols, deoxy sugars, and amino sugars.

Short answer

Aldonic acid: Converting the aldehyde group on aldose to a carboxylic acid group.

Uronic acid: Oxidizing the main alcohol group on aldose using uronic acid (at the terminal carbon).

Alditols: Aldoses and ketoses are reduced in moderate conditions (mostly aldoses).

Deoxy sugars: Monosaccharide units known as deoxy sugars have an OH group replaced by a H group. (Instead of being connected to a -OH and an -H, an interior carbon is only bound to two -Hs)

Animo sugars: Sugars with one or more amino groups in place of OH groups; frequently acetylated. (-NH₂rather than -OH).

Step-by-step solution

Aldonic acids

Aldonic acids are obtained by oxidation of the aldehyde group in the aldose of sugar to form a carboxylic acid functional group.

Example: Gluconic acid

Uronic acid

Aldonic acids are obtained by oxidation of the aldehyde group in the aldose of sugar to form a carboxylic acid functional group.

Example: Gluconic acid

Alditols

Alditols are sugar alcohols obtained by the reduction of aldehyde. They are widely used in the food industry as sweeteners and thickeners.

Example: Ribitol, Glycerol, Xylitol, etc.

Deoxy sugars

The reduction of alcohol obtains deoxy sugars. These are monosaccharide units in which the OH group is replaced by H.

Amino sugars

Amino sugars are the molecules in which amine groups replace the OH group. These are formed due to the catalytic activity of certain aminotransferase enzymes.

Example: N-acetylglucosamine.