An anomer is a type of geometric variation found at certain atoms in carbohydrate molecules. An epimer is a stereoisomer that differs in configuration at any single stereogenic center. An anomer is an epimer at the hemiacetal/hemiketal carbon in a cyclic saccharide, an atom called the anomeric carbon.The anomeric carbon is the carbon derived from the carbonyl carbon compound (the ketone or aldehyde functional group) of the open-chain form of the carbohydrate molecule. Anomerization is the process of conversion of one anomer to the other. As is typical for stereoisomeric compounds, different anomers have different physical properties, melting points and specific rotations.
