128k views
3 votes
Some sugar substitutes are made from derivatives of sucrose. Sucralose™ is a sweetener found in soft drinks and low-calorie foods such as yogurt. The structure of sucralose is shown in both 2d and 3d representations. How many chirality centers are present?.

User Snowbldr
by
8.5k points

2 Answers

1 vote

Final answer:

Sucralose inherits its chirality centers from sucrose and has multiple such centers. Each chlorine substitution on a carbon atom that was part of a chirality center in sucrose maintains the chirality in sucralose. The exact count should be determined by examining the structure of sucralose provided.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question relates to the number of chirality centres in sucralose, a chlorinated derivative of sucrose. Sucralose retains most of the structural characteristics of sucrose but has three chlorine atoms that replace three hydroxyl (-OH) groups. A chirality centre, also known as a stereocenter, is a carbon atom bonded to four different groups. As such, sucrose, which has multiple hydroxyl groups attached to its carbon atoms, has potential chirality centres.

When considering sucralose, it inherits chirality centres from the parent compound, sucrose. Since each of the chlorine substitutions occurs on a carbon that was part of a chirality centre in sucrose, these substituted centres retain their chiral nature. Therefore, if a student counts the number of carbon atoms with the necessary four different groups attached in sucralose's structure, they can determine the number of chirality centres.

It is important to note that for full credit, the student would need to count the chirality centres based on the specific structure provided. However, since I don't have the structure in front of me, I cannot provide the exact count. Typically, sucrose has several chirality centers, and most would be retained in sucralose.

When discussing artificial sweeteners, it's crucial to mention that they are often noncaloric or low-calorie, and sucralose, specifically, is heat stable, making it suitable for baking. Its intense sweetness compared to sucrose is why it is used in much lower quantities.

User Wachburn
by
8.6k points
6 votes

Final answer:

Sucralose, a sugar substitute from sucrose, contains multiple chirality centers due to the substitution of hydroxyl groups with chlorine atoms. The exact number of chirality centers can be determined by analyzing its molecular structure.

Step-by-step explanation:

Sucralose is a sugar substitute derived from sucrose, commonly used in various food and beverage products. When examining its structure for chirality centers, it is important to look for carbon atoms bonded to four different groups. Considering that sucralose is synthesized from sucrose with three chlorine atoms substituted for three OH groups, there can be multiple chirality centers due to these substitutions.

As the sucrose molecule itself has multiple hydroxyl (-OH) groups attached to its carbon skeleton, each of these positions could potentially become a chirality center upon the substitution of hydroxyl groups with chlorine atoms. Sucrose, being a disaccharide composed of glucose and fructose, has several chirality centers, and thus, sucralose, which is derived from it, retains a corresponding number of chirality centers, altered by the presence of chlorine atoms after the substitution reaction.

In summary, identifying the number of chirality centers in the sucralose molecule requires knowledge of organic chemistry and an analysis of its molecular structure, paying particular attention to asymmetric carbon atoms. Typically, the exact number would be determined by examining the provided structural representations in two or three dimensions, which would reveal the number of unique carbon arrangements constituting chirality centers.

User Shpigford
by
8.0k points