| Description | D-Maltose, also known as maltose, maltobiose or malt sugar, is a disaccharide formed from two units of glucose joined with an alpha (1‚Üí4) bond. Its name comes from malt, combined with the suffix '-ose' which is used in names of sugars. Maltose is a key structural motif of starch. When alpha-amylase breaks down starch, it removes two glucose units at a time, producing maltose. Maltose can be further broken down to glucose by the maltase enzyme, which catalyses the hydrolysis of the glycosidic bond. D-maltose exists in all living species, ranging from bacteria to plants to humans. Within humans, D-maltose participates in a number of enzymatic reactions. In particular, maltose can be converted into glucose; which is mediated by the enzyme maltase-glucoamylase. In addition, maltose can be converted into glucose through its interaction with the enzyme glycogen debranching enzyme. Maltose is found in high concentrations in oriental wheats and in a lower concentrations in sweet potato, grape wines, yellow pond-lilies, sunflowers, and spinach. Maltose is a component of malt, a substance which is obtained in the process of allowing grain to soften in water and germinate. It is also present in highly variable quantities in partially hydrolysed starch products like maltodextrin, corn syrup and acid-thinned starch. Maltose has a sweet taste but is only about 30-60% as sweet as sucrose, depending on the concentration. |
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| IUPAC Name | (2R,3S,4S,5R,6R)-2-(hydroxymethyl)-6-{[(2R,3S,4R,5S,6S)-4,5,6-trihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-3-yl]oxy}oxane-3,4,5-triol |
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| Traditional Name | (2r,3s,4s,5r,6r)-2-(hydroxymethyl)-6-{[(2r,3s,4r,5s,6s)-4,5,6-trihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-3-yl]oxy}oxane-3,4,5-triol |
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| InChI Identifier | InChI=1S/C12H22O11/c13-1-3-5(15)6(16)9(19)12(22-3)23-10-4(2-14)21-11(20)8(18)7(10)17/h3-20H,1-2H2/t3-,4-,5-,6+,7-,8+,9-,10-,11+,12-/m1/s1 |
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