[Ida Isotope]

I am taking my first biochemistry course and we have run across the term anomeric. Now I know I saw this in organic chemistry but googling it and going back through my notes ,the definitions I am getting are too complex.

I am looking for a basic explanation for a refresher.

I know anomeric refers to a carbon but what exactly is an anomeric carbon?

[Yggdrasil]

For monosaccharides, the anomeric carbon is the carbon with two bonds to oxygen.

[azmanam]

a commonly misunderstood concept - it took me a while to feel comfortable with it.  struggle with it for a bit and you'll get it.

start here:
http://www.chemicalforums.com/index.php?topic=31137.0

[Dan]

Also see:

http://www.chem.qmul.ac.uk/iupac/2carb/06n07.html#06

Which is part of the IUPAC recommendations for carbohydrate nomenclature (1996)

[Ida Isotope]

Thank you for your help. It is quite a difficult concept for me but I'll reread those links again and the posts.