The functional group present in xanthophyll but absent in beta-carotene is the oxygen-containing group, specifically hydroxyl (-OH) groups or oxygen atoms forming epoxides. Xanthophylls are carotenoids that contain oxygen atoms, making them more polar, whereas beta-carotene is a pure hydrocarbon and contains no oxygen atoms
. To summarize:
- Xanthophylls contain oxygen functional groups such as hydroxyl groups and/or epoxide groups.
- Beta-carotene is purely a hydrocarbon with no oxygen atoms or oxygen-containing functional groups.
This difference in functional groups is the key structural distinction between xanthophylls and carotenes like beta-carotene
