How many chiral carbon atoms are there in the open-chain form of glucose?

1 Answer
Ernest Z.
Aug 11, 2015

There are four chiral carbon atoms in the open-chain form of glucose.

Explanation:

The structure of glucose with its numbering is

ketopentose.files.wordpress.com

There are no internal mirror planes, so every carbon atom is different.

The four chiral centres (with their attached groups) are:

  1. #"C2 (OH,C1, C3, H)"#
  2. #"C3 (OH, C2, C4, H)"#
  3. #"C4 (OH, C3, C5, H)"#
  4. #"C5 (OH, C4, C6, H)"#
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