Chapter 6, Problem 1IA.5Q

Summary Introduction

To determine:

The difference between $\text{D-}$ and $\text{L-glyceraldehyde}$.

Introduction:

Glyceraldehyde is a monosaccharide. When glycerol and aldehyde combines, glyceraldehyde is formed. It has one chiral center and exists as two different enantiomers dextro and leavo. Dextro means right and Leavo means left.

Fischer projections are the representation of bonds by using horizontal and vertical lines in three dimensional plane. The horizontal lines represent the bonds that are out of the plane and the vertical lines represent the bonds pointing out towards the back of the plane. The intersection between the two lines represents the carbon atom.