a-D-glucose and b-d-glucose can best be described as?
-diasteromers
-constitutional isomers
-different conformations
-enantiomers
-keto-enol isomers
a-D-glucose and b-D-glucose can best be described as enantiomers.
Enantiomers are a type of stereoisomers that are non-superimposable mirror images of each other. In the case of a-D-glucose and b-D-glucose, they have the same molecular formula (C6H12O6) but differ in the arrangement of their atoms in space.
To determine that a-D-glucose and b-D-glucose are enantiomers, you need to understand their structural formulae and the stereochemistry of the molecules. It is important to note that in the Fischer projection, the hydroxyl group on the chiral carbon farthest from the carbonyl group determines the stereochemistry. For example, in a-D-glucose, the hydroxyl group on the chiral carbon at the bottom is oriented to the right. In b-D-glucose, the hydroxyl group on the chiral carbon at the bottom is oriented to the left.
To best explain the difference between a-D-glucose and b-D-glucose, it is necessary to represent their structural formulae and compare the orientation of the hydroxyl groups on the chiral carbon. Thus, based on this information, a-D-glucose and b-D-glucose can be described as enantiomers.