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Do all reducing sugars show mutarotation?
I studied that for a sugar to be reducing it must possess a free aldehydo or keto group. Also, for a mutarotation interconversion between α- and β-forms of compound are required.
If there is a free aldehydo group or keto group in the compound must it show mutarotation?
Note: I am a high school student so please try to explain in a simpler manner.
The compounds having hemiacetal in their structure give mutarotation.
Generally, all monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, ribose, arabinose, …) and disaccharides (lactose, maltose, …) give mutarotation, except sucrose.
Sucrose, despite being a disaccharide, fails to give mutarotation because it doesn't contain hemiacetal.
