Home >> Science & Nature >> Science

How to Calculate the Percent Composition of Alpha and Beta Mutarotation

When chemists analyze compounds, they must understand the mutarotation in order to comprehend the ways that compounds link. In fact, muatroation describes the different optimal ways that compounds can combine. Because there is no one perfect optimization, scientists have given the names alpha and beta to different mutarotations. They can be calculated by examining the atoms within the compound and calculating based on the specific circumstance.

Instructions

- 1
  Examine a specific compound such as the sugar Glucose. This compound is a monosaccharide with the chemical equation C6 H12 O6 or six atoms of carbon, twelve atoms of hydrogen and six atoms of oxygen.
- 2
  Test to see what compounds will be formed when a compound reacts with itself. You may conduct the test experimentally or on paper. With paper, match up the stable compounds. For Glucose, two new compounds will be formed with CH2OH O OH OH OH OH.
- 3
  Designate each compound alpha and beta. The energy difference on the compound ring is more stable in an axial(alpha) position on the anomeric carbon(C-1) than in an equatorial(beta) position. This phenomenon is called the anomeric effect.
- 4
  Find the positive value of alpha at equilibrium through experimentation with a polarimeter. In this case, the alpha compound of Glucose is +52.7 degrees. This corresponds to 36% alpha and 64% beta.

Science