β-d-Gulose

Abstract

The title compound, C6H12O6, a C-3 position epimer of d-galactose, crystallized from an aqueous solution, was confirmed as β-d-pyranose with a 4C1 (C1) conformation. In the crystal, O—H...O hydrogen bonds between the hydroxy groups at the C-1 and C-6 positions connect molecules into a tape structure with an R33(11) ring motif running along the a-axis direction. The tapes are connected by further O—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional network.