Sucrose

A disaccharide whose glucose and fructose anomeric centres are both linked.

Formula
C12H22O11
Molar mass
342.3 g/mol
Also known as
(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-2-[(2S,3S,4S,5R)-3,4-dihydroxy-2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)oxolan-2-yl]oxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol, saccharose, sugar, Table sugar, Cane sugar, White sugar, Saccharum

Overview

A disaccharide whose glucose and fructose anomeric centres are both linked.

The glycosidic bond involves both anomeric centres, preventing ordinary ring opening to a free carbonyl at either end. Sucrose is therefore non-reducing in the standard classification. Hydrolysis releases glucose and fructose, changing the chemistry of the resulting mixture.

Identifiers

Formula
C12H22O11
Molar mass
342.3 g/mol
Also known as
(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-2-[(2S,3S,4S,5R)-3,4-dihydroxy-2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)oxolan-2-yl]oxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol, saccharose, sugar, Table sugar, Cane sugar, White sugar, Saccharum
Chemical identifiers
SMILES
C([C@@H]1[C@H]([C@@H]([C@H]([C@H](O1)O[C@]2([C@H]([C@@H]([C@H](O2)CO)O)O)CO)O)O)O)O
InChI
InChI=1S/C12H22O11/c13-1-4-6(16)8(18)9(19)11(21-4)23-12(3-15)10(20)7(17)5(2-14)22-12/h4-11,13-20H,1-3H2/t4-,5-,6-,7-,8+,9-,10+,11-,12+/m1/s1
PubChem CID
5988

Properties

Melting Point
185.5 °C
Boiling / decomposition
Decomposes (NTP, 1992)
Density
1.5805 g/cu cm @ 17 °C
Water solubility
water solubility = 2.12X10+6 mg/l @ 25 °C

References

  1. PubChem Compound Summary: Sucrose (CID 5988)National Center for Biotechnology Information · PubChem

    Identity, molecular formula, molecular weight and aliases retrieved via PUG REST on 2026-09-08.

  2. OpenStax Organic Chemistry: DisaccharidesJohn McMurry · OpenStax · 2023

    Supports the qualitative structural interpretation of the recorded molecular structure; no new physical measurement or verified preparative yield is claimed.

  3. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Sucrose — melting pointHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

    Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/5988#section=Melting-Point. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Lide, D.R. (ed.). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. 79th ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press Inc., 1998-1999., p. 3-172

  4. CAMEO Chemicals: Sucrose — boiling pointCAMEO Chemicals

    Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/5988#section=Boiling-Point. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: National Toxicology Program, Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NTP). 1992. National Toxicology Program Chemical Repository Database. Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

  5. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Sucrose — densityHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

    Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/5988#section=Density. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Lide, D.R. (ed.). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. 79th ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press Inc., 1998-1999., p. 3-172

  6. Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB): Sucrose — solubilityHazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB)

    Retrieved through PubChem PUG View on 2026-09-08. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/5988#section=Solubility. Source value, complete property clause or compact miscibility statement retained; absent pressure, temperature or phase conditions are not inferred. Original reference: Yalkowsky SH, Dannenfelser RM; The AQUASOL dATAbASE of Aqueous Solubility. Fifth Ed, Tucson, AZ: Univ Az, College of Pharmacy (1992)