Glucose and Its Anomers

Outline1. Beta Anomer  2. Axial Groups  3. Equatorial Groups4. Alpha Anomer  5. Thermal Animation

Beta-D-Glucose

Opening image: Ball-and-stick model of β-D-glucose. The six-membered glucopyranose ring lies in the plane of the screen; for clarity the hydrogen atoms of the equatorial ring substituents have been omitted, but you can them back into the model here.

In the beta anomer all five hydrogen atoms attached to the ring carbons are axial. Since the symmetry axis of the molecule is perpendicular to the screen, you are looking down two axial bonds. Rock the molecule up and down to see the other three axial bonds.