Glyceraldehyde; an X-ray study of DL-glyceraldehyde dimer

Abstract

An X-ray study of DL-glyceraldehyde, dimerized by hemiacetal bondings, shows that the molecule has a chair-form symmetrical p-dioxan structure with all the hydroxy and hydroxymethyl groups bonded equatorially; the conformation is similar to that of β-D-glucopyranose.