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Lactol

Functional group >C(OH)O– on a cyclic compound


Functional group >C(OH)O– on a cyclic compound

In organic chemistry, a lactol is a functional group which is the cyclic equivalent of a hemiacetal () or a hemiketal (). The compound is formed by the intramolecular, nucleophilic addition of a hydroxyl group () to the carbonyl group () of an aldehyde () or a ketone ().

A lactol is often found as an equilibrium mixture with the corresponding hydroxyaldehyde. The equilibrium can favor either direction depending on ring size and other conformational effects. :[[File:lactol equilibrium.png|300px|left]]

The lactol functional group is prevalent in nature as component of aldose sugars.

Chemical reactivity

Lactols can participate in a variety of chemical reactions including:

  • Oxidation to form lactones
  • Reaction with alcohols to form acetals
    • The reaction of sugars with alcohols or other nucleophiles leads to the formation of glycosides
  • Reduction (deoxygenation) to form cyclic ethers

References

References

  1. IUPAC Gold Book [http://goldbook.iupac.org/L03438.html lactols]
  2. Lundt, Inge. (2001). "Oxidation, reduction and deoxygenation of carbohydrates". Glycoscience.
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