Mutarotation Definition:

A term used to describe the fact that a and b anomers of carbohydrates can equilibrate via the open-chain form.

Mutarotation Explained:

The charge in the optical rotation because of the change in equilibrium between two anomers. The a- and B- anomers of carbohydrates are typically stable solids. However, in aqueous solution, they quickly equilibrate to an equilibrium mixture of the two forms. The equilibrium occurs in the ring-opening of the cyclic sugar at the anomeric center with the acyclic form as the intermediate.