CONFORMATIONAL ANALYSIS IN CARBOHYDRATE CHEMISTRY .I. CONFORMATIONAL FREE ENERGIES . CONFORMATIONS AND ALPHA - BETA RATIOS OF ALDOPYRANOSES IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION

The relative free energies of the aldopyranoses in aqueous solution have been calculated, taking non-bonded interaction energies and the anomeric effect into account. It is shown that the calculated free-energy values correctly predict the predominant conformation of the α-and β-pyranose forms of each aldose. The α-to β-pyranose ratios of the aldoses in aqueous solution, calculated from these values, are in reasonable agreement with those determined experimentally. © 1968 CSIRO. All rights reserved.