hemiacetal

Introduction

Product of addition of 1 mole of alcohol to 1 mole of aldehyde, with the formation a hydroxyl group. In the case of a carbohydrate, the alcohol group is provided by a hydroxyl group on the carbohydrate itself to form a 5 or six-membered ring in an energetically favored reaction. Thus hemiacetals are prefered forms of aldohexoses & aldopentoses.

  |
 -C-OH
  |
  OR

More general terms

• covalent bond