Which one of the following structures is D-Glyceraldehyde?

Options

A.
B.
C.
D.

Answer

To determine which structure represents D-Glyceraldehyde, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understand the Structure of Glyceraldehyde
Glyceraldehyde is a simple sugar with the formula C3H6O3. It has two isomers: D-glyceraldehyde and L-glyceraldehyde. The key difference between these two isomers lies in the orientation of the hydroxyl (OH) group at the chiral carbon.

### Step 2: Identify the Chiral Carbon
Glyceraldehyde has one chiral carbon atom, which is the second carbon in the chain. The structure can be represented as:
- CHO (aldehyde group)
- CH (chiral carbon)
- CH2OH (hydroxymethyl group)

### Step 3: Determine the Configuration
For D-glyceraldehyde:
- The hydroxyl (OH) group at the chiral carbon must be on the right side when the molecule is drawn in a Fischer projection.
- The hydrogen (H) atom will be on the left side.

For L-glyceraldehyde:
- The hydroxyl (OH) group will be on the left side, and the hydrogen (H) atom will be on the right side.

### Step 4: Analyze the Given Structures
Now, we will analyze the provided structures to identify which one corresponds to D-glyceraldehyde:
1. Look for the structure where the OH group is on the right side of the chiral carbon.
2. Ensure that the aldehyde group (CHO) is at the top and the hydroxymethyl group (CH2OH) is at the bottom.

### Step 5: Select the Correct Structure
After analyzing the options:
- Identify the structure that matches the D-glyceraldehyde configuration (OH on the right, H on the left).

### Conclusion
The correct structure for D-glyceraldehyde is the one where the hydroxyl group (OH) is positioned on the right side of the chiral carbon.

---