The α and β anomers of a D-glucopyranose are related as ________.

A) enantiomers
B) meso compounds
C) structural isomers
D) epimers
E) disaccharides

The α and β anomers of a D-glucopyranose are a type of epimer, which means they differ in the configuration of only one stereocenter. Specifically, the anomeric carbon, which is the carbon that was the carbonyl group in the linear form of the sugar, can have either an α or β configuration.