octose

Octose is a term used in chemistry to describe a sugar with eight carbon atoms. It is a type of polysaccharide, which is a complex carbohydrate composed of many sugar units. Octose is not a naturally occurring sugar, but it can be synthesized in the laboratory. It is often used in research and industrial applications, such as in the production of certain polymers and as a model compound for studying the properties of polysaccharides. Octose has a molecular formula of C8H16O8 and a molar mass of approximately 240.2 g/mol. Its structure consists of a linear chain of eight glucose units linked by glycosidic bonds. Octose is soluble in water and has a sweet taste, similar to other sugars. It is important to note that while octose is a useful tool in scientific research, its practical applications are limited due to its synthetic nature and lack of natural occurrence.