"Mixed" Hydro-carbon carbo-Hydrates ??

[Widdekind]

A pure "Hydro-carbon" comprises a "Carbon-chain backbone", where each interstitial carbon carries 2xH, and the terminal carbons are "capped" by H:

 

H-,C'-,C'-...-,C'-H

(

,C' = H-C-H

)

Hydro-carbons are named "number-ane" (e.g., hexane).

 

 

A pure carbo-Hydrate -- what I would want to call a "Hydroxl-carbon" -- comprises the same sort of Carbon-chain backbone, but each interstitial carbon carries H+OH (and the terminal carbons are, again, "capped" by H):

 

H-,C"-,C"...-,C"-H

(

,C" = H-C-OH

)

Hydroxl-carbons (carbo-Hydrates) are named "number-ose" (e.g., hexose), where some of the middling carbons carry 2xH, and others H+OH ??

 

 

Is there such a thing, as a "mixed", "Hydro-carbo-Hydrate" (Hydro-Hydroxl-carbon) ??

[hypervalent_iodine]

Are you asking whether a hydrocarbon chain can carry multiple hydroxyl groups but not be a carbohydrate? The answer to that is, absolutely. The modern definition of a carbohydrate simply refers to it being a sugar, or a polyhydroxy aldehyde/ketone. So that leaves a whole bunch of potential compounds that have multiple hydroxyl groups, but that are not considered a carbohydrate.

[John Cuthber]

Probably the best know example is ordinary alcohol.

[mississippichem]

Any combination of O, C, and H that doesn't fit the empirical formula [ce] C_{n}H_{2n}O_{n} [/ce] would fall under that category.

[John Cuthber]

Any combination of O, C, and H that doesn't fit the empirical formula [ce] C_{n}H_{2n}O_{n} [/ce] would fall under that category.

 

I'm not sure about that. Ether, for example, isn't an alcohol and nor is acetone.

[mississippichem]

I'm not sure about that. Ether, for example, isn't an alcohol and nor is acetone.

 

I was saying that ether and acetone are not carbohydrates but contain C, H, and O whereas for example ribose does fit the above mentioned formula and is a "carbohydrate" in the biochem sense. Maybe we are answering different questions? I see your point.

[John Cuthber]

He's specifically talking about compounds where some of the " carbons carry 2xH, and others H+OH ". That rules out ethers, esters, aldehydes, acids and ketones.

[Widdekind]

Thanks for the responses !