Cyclitol

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Class of chemical compounds

title: "Cyclitol" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["cyclitols"] description: "Class of chemical compounds" topic_path: "general/cyclitols" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclitol" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Class of chemical compounds ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Myo-inositol_numbering.svg" caption="[[inositol]] is a common cyclitol."] ::

In organic chemistry, a cyclitol is a cycloalkane containing at least three hydroxyl, each attached to a different ring carbon atom.{{GoldBookRef|title=Cyclitols|file=C01493|doi=10.1351/goldbook.C01493

Even simple cyclitols can be complicated from the perspective of stereochemistry. For example, cyclohexanetriol exists in three isomers (1,2,3-, 1,2,4-, and 1,3,5-). Furthermore, nine stereoisomers are possible for 1,2,3,4,5,6-cyclohexanehexol (inositol), two of them being enantiomers.

Naturally occurring cyclitols

Unsubstituted

  • Conduritol, or cyclohex-5-ene-1,2,3,4-tetrol; two out of ten possible isomers.
  • Inositol, or cyclohexane-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexol; four out of nine possible isomers.
  • Cyclohexanetetrol

Substituted

  • Bornesitol; (1R,2R,3S,4S,5R,6S)-6-methoxycyclohexane-1,2,3,4,5-pentol; D-(−)-O-methyl-myo-inositol
  • Pinitol; (1S,2S,4S,5R)-6-methoxycyclohexane-1,2,3,4,5-pentol; 3-O-methyl-D-chiro-inositol
  • Ononitol; (1R,2S,3S,4S,5S,6S)-6-methoxycyclohexane-1,2,3,4,5-pentaol; 4-O-methyl-myo-inositol
  • Pinpollitol; (1R,2R,3R,4S,5R,6S)-3,6-dimethoxycyclohexane-1,2,4,5-tetraol; di-O-methyl-(+)-chiro-inositol
  • Quebrachitol; (1R,2S,4S,5R)-6-methoxycyclohexane-1,2,3,4,5-pentol; 2-0-methyl-chiro-inositol
  • Quinic acid; (1S,3R,4S,5R)-1,3,4,5-tetrahydroxycyclohexanecarboxylic acid
  • Shikimic acid; (3R,4S,5R)-3,4,5-trihydroxycyclohex-1-ene-1-carboxylic acid
  • Valienol; (1S,2S,3S,4R)-5-(Hydroxymethyl)cyclohex-5-ene-1,2,3,4-tetrol
  • Viscumitol (1R,2S,3R,4S,5R,6S)-5,6-dimethoxycyclohexane-1,2,3,4-tetraol; 1,2-di-O-methyl-muco-inositol

Glycosides

Phosphates

  • Phytic acid; (1R,2S,3r,4R,5S,6s)-cyclohexane-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexayl hexakis[dihydrogen(phosphate)]; inositol hexakisphosphate

Other cyclitols

Applications

Aside from their utility to plants, cyclitols are useful as precursors to synthetic materials.

Analysis methods

Théodore Posternak and others described the separation of cyclitols by paper chromatography using three methods of development: Tollens' reagents, the Meillère reagent (based on the Scherer-Gallois reaction), and digestion by Acetobacter suboxydans followed by Tollens' reagent.

References

References

  1. (2025). "Sugar alcohols in plants: implications for enhancing tree seedlings drought tolerance and production strategies". BMC Plant Biology.
  2. (2003). "Non-structural carbon compounds in temperate forest trees". Plant, Cell & Environment.
  3. J. S. Craigie (1969): "Some Salinity-Induced Changes in Growth, Pigments, and Cyclohexanetetrol Content of ''Monochrysis lutheri''". ''Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada'', volume 26, issue 11, pages 2959-2967. {{doi. 10.1139/f69-282
  4. Nihat Akbulut and Metin Balci (1988): "A new and stereospecific synthesis of cyclitols: (1,2,4/3)-, (1,2/3,4)-, and (1,3/2,4)-cyclohexanetetrols". ''Journal of Organic Chemistry'', volume 53, issue 14, pages 3338-3342. {{doi. 10.1021/jo00249a039
  5. (1993). "The conversion of carbohydrate derivatives into functionalized cyclohexanes and cyclopentanes". Chemical Reviews.
  6. Th. Posternak, D. Reymond, W. Haerdi (1955): "Recherches dans la série des cyclitols XX. Chromatographie sur papier de cyclitols et de cycloses". ''Helvetica Chimica Acta'' volume 38, issue 1, pages 191-194 {{doi. 10.1002/hlca.19550380122

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cyclitols