Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 24, 2026

Idose

Idose is a hexose, a six carbon monosaccharide. It has an aldehyde group and is thus an aldose. Idose is not found in nature, but its oxidized derivative iduronic acid, is a component of dermatan sulfate and heparan sulfate, which are glycosaminoglycans. The first and third hydroxyls point the opposite way from the second and fourth. It is made by aldol condensation of D- and L-glyceraldehyde. L-Idose is a C-5 epimer of D-glucose.

Last revised
Jun 24, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
217 w
Citations
3
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Idose1
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Names
IUPAC names
Idose
ido-Hexose2
Systematic IUPAC name
(3S,4R,5R,6R)-6-(Hydroxymethyl)oxane-2,3,4,5-tetrol
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChemSpider
UNII
  • InChI=1S/C6H12O6/c7-1-2-3(8)4(9)5(10)6(11)12-2/h2-11H,1H2/t2-,3+,4-,5+,6?/m1/s1 ☒N
    Key: WQZGKKKJIJFFOK-YIDFTEPTSA-N ☒N
  • InChI=1/C6H12O6/c7-1-2-3(8)4(9)5(10)6(11)12-2/h2-11H,1H2/t2-,3+,4-,5+,6?/m1/s1
    Key: WQZGKKKJIJFFOK-YIDFTEPTBS
  • O[C@@H]1[C@@H](O)[C@H](OC(O)[C@H]1O)CO
Properties
C6H12O6
Molar mass 180.156 g·mol−1
Appearance white solid
Melting point 132 °C (270 °F; 405 K)
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
☒N verify (what is checkY☒N ?)

Idose is a hexose, a six carbon monosaccharide. It has an aldehyde group and is thus an aldose. Idose is not found in nature, but its oxidized derivative iduronic acid, is a component of dermatan sulfate and heparan sulfate, which are glycosaminoglycans. The first and third hydroxyls point the opposite way from the second and fourth. It is made by aldol condensation of D- and L-glyceraldehyde. L-Idose is a C-5 epimer of D-glucose.

It can be identified by mass spectrometry.3

References

References

  1. Merck Index, 11th Edition, 4818
  2. "Nomenclature of Carbohydrates (Recommendations 1996) - Appendix". iupac.qmul.ac.uk. 1996. Retrieved 2025-11-28.
  3. Nagy, Gabe; Pohl, Nicola L. B. (2015). "Complete Hexose Isomer Identification with Mass Spectrometry". Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry. 26 (4): 677–685. Bibcode:2015JASMS..26..677N. doi:10.1007/s13361-014-1072-z. PMID 25652933.