Question

How do you explain the following?
(a) Presence of an aldehydic group in glucose.
(b) Presence of five −OH groups in glucose.

Hint:

The aldehyde group in glucose makes it a reducing sugar, while the multiple -OH groups contribute to its solubility and reactivity.

Answer 1

(a) The presence of an aldehydic group (-CHO) in glucose is responsible for its ability to undergo oxidation to form acids. The aldehyde group is a functional group that reacts with oxidizing agents, which is a distinguishing feature of aldehydes in organic chemistry.
(b) The presence of five -OH groups in glucose allows it to form hydrogen bonds with other molecules, making glucose highly soluble in water. These hydroxyl groups also play a significant role in glucose's reactivity in various chemical reactions, such as the formation of glycosidic bonds in disaccharides.