Glucose and fructose both have the formula #C_6H_12O_6#, but the atoms in these two compounds are arranged differently. What are glucose and fructose known as?

1 Answer
Aug 20, 2017

Isomers? Sugars?

Explanation:

I'm not quite sure what the question is, but they're both sugars.

Glucose's IUPAC name is 6-hydroxymethyloxane-2, 3, 4, 5-tetrol

Fructose's IUPAC name is more complicated: (2R, 3S, 4R, 5R)-2-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-2, 3, 4, 5-tetrol

Both structures are cyclic.

For a good diagram of their structures try https://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=fructose