Glycolaldehyde
Glycolaldehyde is the organic compound with the formula HOCH2-CHO. It is the smallest possible molecule that contains both an aldehyde group and a hydroxyl group. It is a highly reactive molecule that occurs both in the biosphere and in the interstellar medium. It is normally supplied as a white solid.
Structure
Glycolaldehyde exists as depicted above as a gas. As a solid and molten liquid, it exists as a dimer. In aqueous solution, it exists as a mixture of at least four species, which rapidly interconvert.
It is the only possible diose, a 2-carbon monosaccharide, although a diose is not strictly a saccharide. While not a true sugar, it is the simplest sugar-related molecule.
Synthesis
Glycolaldehyde is the second most abundant compound formed when preparing pyrolysis oil (up to 10% by weight).
Biosynthesis
It can form by action of ketolase on fructose 1,6-bisphosphate in an alternate glycolysis pathway. This compound is transferred by thiamine pyrophosphate during the pentose phosphate shunt.
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