Essentials of Carbohydrate Chemistry [Paperback]

This is the first broad treatment of carbohydrate chemistry in many years, and presents the structures, reactions, modifications, and properties of carbohydrates. Woven throughout the text are discussions of biological properties of carbohydrates, their industrial applications, and the history of the field of carbohydrate chemistry. Written for students as well as practising scientists, this textbook and handy reference will be of interest to a wide range of disciplines: biochemistry, chemistry, food and nutrition, microbiology, pharmacology, and medicine.Carbohydrates are the most widely distributed naturally-occurring organic compounds on Earth. They make up much of our food, clothing and shelter, and are as vital to national economies as they are to our diet. This book is the first broad treatment of carbohydrate chemistry in many years, and presents the structures, reactions, modifications, and properties of carbohydrates. Woven throughout the text are discussions of biological properties of carbohydrates, their industrial applications, and the history of the field of carbohydrate chemistry. Written for students as well as practicing scientists, this text/reference will be of interest to a wide range of disciplines influenced by carbohydrates: biochemistry, chemistry, food and nutrition, microbiology, pharmacology, and medicine.1 Beginnings.- 1.1 Carbohydrates and Their Involvement in Life Processes.- 1.2 The Nature of Carbohydrates.- 1.3 Occurrence of Carbohydrates.- 1.4 Asymmetry and the Structures of Carbohydrates.- 1.5 Remembering the Structures of Carbohydrates.- 1.6 Derived Carbohydrate Structures.- a. Sugar Alcohols.- b. Sugar Acids.- c. Deoxy Sugars.- d. Amino Sugars.- e. Sugar Phosphates.- f. Condensed Sugar Products.- 1.7 Literature Cited.- 2 Developments.- 2.1 Carbohydrates in the History and Development of Human Culture.- 2.2 Development of Carbohydrate Chemistry.- a. Chemical Properties of Carbohydrates, 1860-1880.- b. Fischers Demonstration of theló´