Name: L-rhamnose, also known as 6-deoxy-L-mannose, English name L-rhamnose monohydrate.
Chemical formula: C6H12O5
Molecular weight: 164.16 (anhydrous); 182.11 (monohydrate)
Physical form: The pure product is a colorless crystalline powder, soluble in water and methanol, slightly soluble in ethanol. At room temperature and pressure, L-rhamnose monohydrate is a white crystalline solid, soluble in water, slightly soluble in ethanol, and insoluble in ether organic solvents such as petroleum ether and ether.
Taste: The sweetness is similar to that of D-mannose, slightly bitter, and 33% of the sweetness of sucrose.
Plant source: L-rhamnose is widely distributed in plants as a trace sugar, such as the leaves and flowers of Rhus toxicodendron. It exists in the form of free sugar, and is also distributed in the form of various glycosides such as rutin, and the constituent sugars of polysaccharides such as gum arabic. It can also be found in many kinds of plant glycosides (such as quercetin, isohesperidin, etc.), polysaccharides, especially pectin and colloids in the form of sugars.
Bacterial source: In bacteria, L-rhamnose is a sugar that makes up polysaccharides or lipopolysaccharides, and exists on the cell surface. This sugar chain structure often becomes an antigen-specific factor.