🥼Organic Chemistry Unit 25 – Biomolecules – Carbohydrates

What Are Carbohydrates?

• Carbohydrates are organic molecules composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms, typically with a general formula of $C_n(H_2O)_n$
• They are one of the four major classes of biomolecules, along with proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids
• Carbohydrates serve as the primary energy source for most living organisms, providing 4 calories per gram when metabolized
• They play crucial roles in various biological processes, such as cell signaling, immune system recognition, and structural components of cell walls (cellulose) and exoskeletons (chitin)
• Carbohydrates can be classified into three main categories based on their complexity: monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides
• The term "carbohydrate" originates from the chemical composition of these molecules, which can be viewed as hydrates of carbon, hence "carbo-hydrate"
• Common dietary sources of carbohydrates include fruits, vegetables, grains, and dairy products

Structure and Classification

• Carbohydrates are characterized by the presence of hydroxyl groups (-OH) attached to carbon atoms, forming a polyhydroxy aldehyde or ketone
• The basic building blocks of carbohydrates are monosaccharides, which can be linked together to form more complex structures
• Monosaccharides are classified based on the number of carbon atoms they contain, such as trioses (3 carbons), tetroses (4 carbons), pentoses (5 carbons), and hexoses (6 carbons)
• Oligosaccharides are formed when a small number of monosaccharides (typically 2-10) are linked together through glycosidic bonds
• Polysaccharides are long chains of monosaccharides, often containing hundreds or thousands of monomeric units
  • They can be linear or branched, depending on the specific arrangement of the glycosidic linkages
• Carbohydrates can also be classified based on their functional group: aldoses (containing an aldehyde group) and ketoses (containing a ketone group)
• The stereochemistry of carbohydrates is crucial in determining their properties and biological functions, with D- and L- prefixes indicating the configuration of the highest-numbered chiral center

Monosaccharides: The Building Blocks

• Monosaccharides are the simplest form of carbohydrates and cannot be hydrolyzed into smaller carbohydrate units
• They are colorless, crystalline solids that are soluble in water and have a sweet taste
• The three most common monosaccharides are glucose, fructose, and galactose, all of which have the molecular formula $C_6H_12O_6$
• Monosaccharides can exist in open-chain (acyclic) or closed-ring (cyclic) forms, with the latter being more stable in aqueous solutions
  • The cyclic form is formed through an intramolecular reaction between the aldehyde or ketone group and a hydroxyl group, creating a hemiacetal or hemiketal
• The cyclic form of monosaccharides can exist in two anomeric configurations: α (alpha) and β (beta), which differ in the orientation of the hydroxyl group at the anomeric carbon (C-1 in aldoses, C-2 in ketoses)
• Monosaccharides undergo various reactions, such as oxidation, reduction, and substitution, which are essential in the synthesis of other carbohydrates and biomolecules
• Glucose is the most abundant monosaccharide in nature and serves as a primary energy source for many organisms, while fructose is the sweetest natural sugar and is found in fruits and honey

Disaccharides and Oligosaccharides

• Disaccharides are formed when two monosaccharides are joined together by a glycosidic bond, which is a covalent bond between the anomeric carbon of one monosaccharide and a hydroxyl group of another
• Common disaccharides include sucrose (table sugar), lactose (milk sugar), and maltose (malt sugar)
  • Sucrose is composed of glucose and fructose, lactose is composed of glucose and galactose, and maltose is composed of two glucose units
• The formation of a glycosidic bond involves the loss of a water molecule, a process called condensation or dehydration synthesis
• Oligosaccharides are short chains of monosaccharides, typically containing 3 to 10 monomeric units
• They can be linear or branched, depending on the position and type of glycosidic linkages between the monosaccharides
• Oligosaccharides often serve as intermediates in the synthesis of polysaccharides or as components of glycoproteins and glycolipids
• Some oligosaccharides, such as raffinose and stachyose, are found in plants and can cause digestive discomfort in humans due to the lack of enzymes needed to break them down

Complex Carbohydrates: Polysaccharides

• Polysaccharides are long chains of monosaccharides linked together by glycosidic bonds, often containing hundreds or thousands of monomeric units
• They are classified into two main categories: homopolysaccharides (composed of a single type of monosaccharide) and heteropolysaccharides (composed of two or more types of monosaccharides)
• Starch, glycogen, and cellulose are examples of homopolysaccharides, all composed of glucose monomers
  • Starch is a plant storage polysaccharide, glycogen is an animal storage polysaccharide, and cellulose is a structural component of plant cell walls
• The properties and functions of polysaccharides are determined by the type of monosaccharides, the position and configuration of the glycosidic linkages, and the degree of branching
• Polysaccharides can serve various roles, such as energy storage (starch and glycogen), structural support (cellulose and chitin), and extracellular matrix components (hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate)
• Some polysaccharides, like heparin and pectin, have important biological functions in blood clotting and cell wall adhesion, respectively
• The digestion of polysaccharides involves the hydrolysis of glycosidic bonds by specific enzymes, such as amylases for starch and cellulases for cellulose

Biological Functions of Carbohydrates

• Carbohydrates play diverse roles in living organisms, ranging from energy storage and structural components to cell signaling and immune system recognition
• They serve as the primary energy source for most organisms, providing a readily available supply of glucose for cellular respiration
• Carbohydrates are essential components of cell walls in plants (cellulose) and fungi (chitin), providing structural support and protection
• Glycoproteins and glycolipids, which contain oligosaccharide chains attached to proteins or lipids, respectively, are crucial for cell-cell recognition, adhesion, and signaling
  • For example, the ABO blood group antigens are determined by the specific oligosaccharides present on the surface of red blood cells
• Carbohydrates also play a role in the immune system, with specific sugar moieties serving as markers for self vs. non-self recognition
• Some polysaccharides, such as hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulfate, are important components of the extracellular matrix in connective tissues, providing lubrication and shock absorption
• Carbohydrates can also serve as precursors for the synthesis of other biomolecules, such as amino acids, nucleotides, and lipids
• In plants, carbohydrates produced during photosynthesis are transported throughout the organism in the form of sucrose, providing energy and building blocks for growth and development

Reactions and Transformations

• Carbohydrates undergo various chemical reactions and transformations, which are essential for their biological functions and applications in organic synthesis
• Glycosidic bond formation and hydrolysis are fundamental reactions in carbohydrate chemistry, allowing the synthesis and degradation of oligosaccharides and polysaccharides
  • These reactions are catalyzed by specific enzymes, such as glycosyltransferases and glycoside hydrolases
• Monosaccharides can undergo oxidation reactions, such as the conversion of an aldose to an aldonic acid or a ketose to a ketonic acid, which are important in metabolic pathways and industrial applications
• Reduction reactions, such as the conversion of an aldose to an alditol, are useful in the synthesis of sugar alcohols and other derivatives
• Substitution reactions, such as esterification, etherification, and amination, allow the modification of hydroxyl groups in carbohydrates, generating a wide range of derivatives with altered properties and functions
• Carbohydrates can also participate in condensation reactions with other biomolecules, such as the formation of glycoproteins and glycolipids through glycosylation
• Fermentation is a metabolic process in which carbohydrates are converted into other compounds, such as ethanol and lactic acid, by microorganisms under anaerobic conditions
• Maillard reactions, which occur between reducing sugars and amino acids, are responsible for the browning and flavor development in cooked foods

Carbohydrates in Organic Synthesis

• Carbohydrates serve as valuable chiral building blocks in organic synthesis due to their structural diversity, abundance, and renewable nature
• The presence of multiple hydroxyl groups and stereogenic centers in carbohydrates allows for the stereoselective synthesis of complex molecules
• Monosaccharides can be used as starting materials for the synthesis of various chiral compounds, such as amino acids, nucleosides, and chiral auxiliaries
  • For example, D-glucose can be converted into D-glucosamine, a precursor for the synthesis of glycosaminoglycans and other bioactive molecules
• Carbohydrate derivatives, such as sugar acetals and ketals, are useful protecting groups in multi-step organic synthesis, allowing for the selective manipulation of other functional groups
• Glycosylation reactions, involving the formation of glycosidic bonds between a glycosyl donor and an acceptor, are essential for the synthesis of oligosaccharides and glycoconjugates
  • These reactions often require careful control of stereochemistry and regioselectivity, using specific activators and protecting group strategies
• Carbohydrate-based polymers, such as cellulose and chitin derivatives, have applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering, and biomaterials science
• The development of efficient and stereoselective methods for the synthesis and modification of carbohydrates is an active area of research in organic chemistry, with implications for drug discovery and materials science
• Automated glycan assembly and chemo-enzymatic synthesis are emerging technologies that enable the rapid and precise construction of complex carbohydrate structures