The molecule is a 3-pyranone with a 4,5-double bond carrying a hydroxy group at position 4 and a hydroxymethyl group at position 6. It is a deoxyketohexose, an anhydrohexose and a member of 3-pyrones. It is a conjugate acid of an ascopyrone M(1-).
(2S)-4-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-2H-pyran-5-one