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Ribitol
Encyclopedia
Ribitol or adonitol is a crystalline pentose
alcohol
(C5H12O5) formed by the reduction of ribose
. It occurs naturally in the plant Adonis vernalis
, as well as in the cell walls of Gram positive bacteria (specifically, as ribitol phosphate, in teichoic acids). It also contributes to the chemical structure of riboflavin
.
Pentose
A pentose is a monosaccharide with five carbon atoms. Pentoses are organized into two groups. Aldopentoses have an aldehyde functional group at position 1...
alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
(C5H12O5) formed by the reduction of ribose
Ribose
Ribose is an organic compound with the formula C5H10O5; specifically, a monosaccharide with linear form H––4–H, which has all the hydroxyl groups on the same side in the Fischer projection....
. It occurs naturally in the plant Adonis vernalis
Adonis vernalis
Adonis vernalis, known variously as pheasant's eye, spring pheasant's eye, yellow pheasant's eye and false hellebore, is a perennial flowering plant found in dry meadows and steppes in Eurasia...
, as well as in the cell walls of Gram positive bacteria (specifically, as ribitol phosphate, in teichoic acids). It also contributes to the chemical structure of riboflavin
Riboflavin
Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2 or additive E101, is an easily absorbed micronutrient with a key role in maintaining health in humans and animals. It is the central component of the cofactors FAD and FMN, and is therefore required by all flavoproteins. As such, vitamin B2 is required for a...
.