Topic summary
Cyclohexane-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexol
Cyclohexane-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexol is a family of chemical compounds with formulaC6H12O6, whose molecule consists of a ring of six carbon atoms, each bound to one hydrogen atom and one hydroxyl group (–OH). There are nine stereoisomers, that differ by the position of the hydroxyl groups relative to the mean plane of the ring. All these compounds are sometimes called inositol, although this name (especially in biochemistry and related sciences) most often refers to a particular isomer, myo-inositol, which has many important physiological roles and medical uses.
These compounds are classified as sugars, specifically carbocyclicsugars or sugar alcohols, to distinguish them from the more common aldoses like glucose. They generally have sweet taste.
These compounds form several esters with biochemical and industrial importance, such as phytic acid and phosphatidylinositol phosphate,