Sucrose. Computer-generated molecular model of sucrose (C12H22O11). Sucrose is composed of carbon (green), hydrogen (grey-white) and oxygen (red). Sucrose is a disaccharide (sugar). Saccharides consist of rings of four or five carbon atoms and one oxygen atom. Attached around the ring are hydroxyl (OH) groups. Disaccharides comprise two monosaccharides joined together, in this case glucose and fructose. Sucrose is also known as cane or beet sugar and is easily hydrolysed by dilute acids to its component parts.