Question

\(α-D-(+)- glucose\) and \(β-D-(+)- glucose\) are:

• A. Enantiomers
• B. Conformers
• C. Epimers
• D. Anomers

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

• α-D-(+)-glucose and β-D-(+)-glucose are anomers of each other. Anomers are isomers of a sugar that differ in the configuration of the hydroxyl group (-OH) at the anomeric carbon (the carbon that was part of the carbonyl group in the open-chain form).
• In the case of glucose, the difference between the α and β forms lies in the position of the hydroxyl group attached to the anomeric carbon (carbon-1 in the cyclic form). If the hydroxyl group is on the opposite side of the CH₂OH group, it is α; if it is on the same side, it is β.

Thus, α-D-(+)-glucose and β-D-(+)-glucose are anomers, making option (D) the correct answer.

Answer 2

Anomers are a special type of stereoisomer that differ in the configuration around the anomeric carbon. In glucose, when the molecule cyclizes to form a ring, the hydroxyl group at the anomeric carbon can be positioned either axially (α) or equatorially (β). These two forms are called α-D-(+)-glucose and β-D-(+)-glucose.  

• Enantiomers are mirror images of each other, like left and right hands, but this is not the case here because α and β glucose are not mirror images.  
• Conformers are different shapes of the same molecule due to rotation around single bonds but do not differ at a specific chiral center.  
• Epimers are stereoisomers that differ at only **one specific chiral carbon**, whereas anomers differ only at the anomeric carbon.