Why does C6H12O6 (glucose) dissolve well in water?

Answer

C6H12O6, or glucose, is a very polar compound. After all, the ring-shaped structure contains 5 -OH groups (the sixth O atom is part of the six-ring). Such hydroxyl groups can enter into a so-called hydrogen bond with water molecules. This allows the individual sugar molecules to surround themselves with water, and it is precisely this phenomenon that we know as solvation.

The hydrogen bond is a bond in which polar groups such as NH or OH bond with another polar group that has lone pairs of electrons, such as the oxygen atom in water (H2O). The hydrogen bond is much weaker than, for example, a covalent bond, but it is extremely important in biomolecules.