The crystal and molecular structure of 2-sulfamino-2-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranose sodium salt.2H2O (glucosamine 2-sulfate).

The crystal and molecular structure of 2-sulfamino-2-deoxy-alpha-D-glucopyranose has been determined by direct methods. The crystal belongs to the space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) and has unit cell dimensions a = 7.713 A, b = 9.390 A and c = 17.222 A. The sugar ring has the expected conformation (4C1) and the geometry of the N-sulfate moiety is comparable with that found in previous investigations of monosaccharide O-sulfates. The sodium ion is octahedrally coordinated involving one ring oxygen, two hydroxyls, one sulfate oxygen and two water oxygens.