Why does maltose have both α and β anomers?
Why does maltose have both α and β anomers? The bonding between the glucopyranose rings in cellobiose and maltose is from the anomeric carbon in ring A to the C-4 hydroxyl group on ring B. This leaves the anomeric carbon in ring B free, so cellobiose and maltose both may assume alpha and beta anomers at that site (the beta form is shown in the diagram). What is alpha anomer of maltose? Maltose exists as an α- or β-anomer. We conclude that β-maltose is the metabolically active anomer of maltose and that a sufficient gradient of β-maltose exists between the...