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Structural formula of adenosine triphosphate

Structural formula of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), showing its chemical components, by name and by type or class of the component compounds. A purine base (adenine) is attached to a pentose (ribose) and that is attached to three phosphate groups. The phosphate groups are organized in a chain that is linked with high-energy pyrophosphate bonds [marked in red]; pyrophosphates are phosphorus oxyanions that contain two phosphorus atoms in a P-O-P linkage. (Illustration corrected and modified by Douglas Lanska MD MS MSPH, from one on the Anatomy & Physiology, Connexions Web site. http://cnx.org/content/col11496/1.6. Jun 19, 2013. Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.)