A tetrose is a monosaccharide with 4 carbon atoms.

They either have an aldehyde functional group in position 1 (aldotetroses) or a ketone functional group in position 2 (ketotetroses).

The aldotetroses have two chiralatrial centres ("asymmetric carbon atoms") and so 4 different stereoisomers are possible.

The naturally occurring aldotetroses are:

• D-Erythrose
• D-Threose

The 2 D-aldotetroses are:

 CH=O        CH=O 
 |           |    
HC-OH     HO-CH   
 |           |    
HC-OH       HC-OH 
 |           |    
 CH2OH       CH2OH   
D-Erythrose    D-Threose 

The ketotetroses have 1 chiral centres and therefore 2 possible stereoisomers — Erythrulose (L- and D-form).

The D-ketotetrose is:

 CH2OH       
 |        
 C=O     
 |        
HC-OH     
 |        
 CH2OH 
D-Erythrulose

The only naturally occurring ketotetrose is D-erythrulose.

See also

• Triose
• Pentose
• Hexose
• Heptose

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