Aldopentózok

Aldopentózok are a class of carbohydrates that are aldoses and contain five carbon atoms. As aldoses, they possess an aldehyde group at one end of their carbon chain. They are monosaccharides, meaning they cannot be hydrolyzed into simpler sugars. The general formula for aldopentoses is C5H10O5. There are four possible stereoisomers of aldopentoses due to the presence of chiral carbon atoms. These are D-ribose, L-ribose, D-arabinose, L-arabinose, D-xylose, L-xylose, D-lyxose, and L-lyxose. However, in biological systems, the D-isomers are far more prevalent. D-ribose is a crucial component of RNA (ribonucleic acid) and ATP (adenosine triphosphate). D-arabinose is found in some plant gums and hemicelluloses. D-xylose, also known as wood sugar, is a component of hemicellulose and is used in some biochemical tests. D-lyxose is less common in nature. Aldopentoses can exist in both open-chain and cyclic forms, with the cyclic forms, particularly furanose rings, being more stable in aqueous solutions.