2007-06-25 04:07:46 · 3 answers · asked by swathi s 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
i wouldn´t call it a carbohydrate. neither would IUPAC.
http://www.chem.qmul.ac.uk/iupac/2carb/00n01.html#01
but since is is a carbonyl derivative, with more than 1 OH group, i could see why one would might call it so.
furthermore, being optically active has nothing to do with something being a sugar or not.
2007-06-25 04:24:20 · answer #1 · answered by chem_freak 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
being made from c, h, o is not enough to be called a carbohydrate. it should also fit the empirical formula CH2O and contain hydroxyl groups and one ketone/aldehyde group.
So dihydroxy acetone is HO-CH2-C(=O)-CH2-OH, which contains the hydroxy and ketone groups and has the formula C3H6O3 (empirical CH2O).
2007-06-25 04:34:33 · answer #2 · answered by anotherhumanmale 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If it is made entirely from C, H, and O then it is a carbohydrate.
2007-06-25 04:11:04 · answer #3 · answered by Mathsorcerer 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋