TopScore#75

[tmac001]

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Hey everyone,

I have a quick question for #75 Top Score.
It asks what is the enantiomer of alpha-D-glucose?

The correct answer is alpha-L-glucose.

Why would L-glucose be the enantiomer... if anything, isn't it diasteromer since only the carbon #5 needs to be switched? if you switch any other carbons it'd become another sugar right? Thanks! 🙂

 

[redchesus]

Errm.... D and L are (one type of) nomenclature for enantiomers, so for any D-sugar the enantiomer is that L-sugar

EDIT: here's the comparison: http://www.biochem.arizona.edu/classes/bioc462/462a/NOTES/CARBO/D-L-glu.gif
if you only switch the 5th carbon of D-glucose, you don't end up with a mirror image, you get another sugar (L-idose)