The conformational space of selected aldo-pyrano-hexoses was searched
by the MM2-SUMM (systematic unbounded multiple minimum) molecular mec
hanics conformational search technique. The first 19 structures of low
est energy were analyzed at the HF/3-21G, 6-31G(d) and generalized gra
dient approximation-density functional (GGA-DFT) levels of theory. The
interactions of the hydroxyl groups were analyzed by employing the gr
adient vector field theory. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.