Natural saccharides are generally built of simple carbohydrates called monosaccharides with general formula (CH2O)n where n is three or more. A typical monosaccharide has the structure H–(CHOH)x(C=O)–(CHOH)y–H, that is, an aldehyde or ketone with many hydroxyl groups added, usually one on each carbon atom that is not part of the aldehyde or ketone functional group. Examples of monosaccharides are glucose, fructose, and glyceraldehydes. However, some biological substances commonly called "monosaccharides" do not conform to this formula (e.g., uronic acids and deoxy-sugars such as fucose) and there are many chemicals that do conform to this formula but are not considered to be monosaccharides (e.g., formaldehyde CH2O and inositol (CH2O)6).
natural saccharides are generally built of simple carbohydrates called monosaccharides with general formula (ch2o)n where n is three or more a typical monosaccharide has the structure h–(choh)x(c=o)–(choh)y–h that is an aldehyde or ketone with many hydroxyl groups added usually one on each carbon atom that is not part of the aldehyde or ketone functional group examples of monosaccharides are glucose fructose and glyceraldehydes however some biological substances commonly called "monosaccharides" do not conform to this formula (eg uronic acids and deoxy-sugars such as fucose) and there are many chemicals that do conform to this formula but are not considered to be monosaccharides (eg formaldehyde ch2o and inositol (ch2o)6)