Anomers are two cyclic forms of a sugar that differ only in the arrangement of the -OH group at the new chiral carbon formed when the sugar closes into a ring. This carbon is called the anomeric carbon (C-1 in glucose).
Anomers are two cyclic forms of a sugar that differ only in the arrangement of the -OH group at the new chiral carbon formed when the sugar closes into a ring. This carbon is called the anomeric carbon (C-1 in glucose). For example, alpha-D-glucose and beta-D-glucose are anomers. They have the same structure everywhere else and differ only at this one carbon.