Erythrose revealed as furanose forms

Abstract

A non-conventional vaporization method, using laser ablation of solid NaCl doped with D-erythrose, has been used to bring this sugar into the gas phase for rotational study. The jet cooled rotational spectrum of this C₄ monosaccharide reveals the existence of two furanose forms, one α envelope and one β twist. Cooperative hydrogen bond networks and the anomeric effect have been found to be the main stabilization factors of the detected structures.