The Carbohydrates Volume 1A

Book excerpt: The Carbohydrates: Chemistry and Biochemistry, Second Edition, Volume IA deals with the chemical and biochemical aspects of carbohydrates such as monosaccharides, sugars, esters, halogen derivatives, phosphates, glycosides, glycosans, alditols, and cyclitols. Topics range from carbohydrate chemistry and stereochemistry to the synthesis of naturally occurring monosaccharides, mutarotations and actions of acids and bases, conformations of sugars, and reactivity of saccharide hydroxyl groups toward esterification. This book consists of 15 chapters that explore the effects of ionizing radiations and autoxidation reactions, physical methods and methods of separation, nucleosides and antibiotics, and the biosynthesis of sugars and complex saccharides. The rapidly growing fields of glycolipids and glycoproteins are also discussed. In addition, the reader is introduced to halogen derivatives such as glycosyl halides and nonanomeric halides, along with the hydrolysis and synthesis of phosphates and other inorganic esters, determination of the structure of glycosides, and the physical and chemical properties of acyclic derivatives. The two final chapters cover the official nomenclature rules for carbohydrates and for enzymes having carbohydrates as substrates. This book will be of interest to chemists and biochemists.