Tag: Ketone group

Fructose is a ketose, a class of sugar that contains a ketone functional group, making it fundamentally different from aldose sugars like glucose. The location of its carbonyl group is the key to understanding this classification, which directly influences its chemical properties and metabolic pathways in the body. This structural detail explains why fructose is metabolized differently than glucose and contributes to its unique characteristics.

Ketoses are a class of monosaccharides defined by the presence of a ketone functional group, usually at the second carbon. While the most recognizable example is fructose, a common sugar in fruits and honey, numerous other ketose sugars exist, each playing a unique role in biological systems. This guide delves into specific examples and their importance.

Every monosaccharide is a reducing sugar. This fundamental chemical property, stemming from the presence of a free aldehyde or ketone group, means that all monosaccharides, from glucose to fructose, can donate electrons and reduce other compounds.