c3h6o3 error by C3H6O3 The letters must be capitalized because they are the chemical symbols of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. This asymmetric chemical formula corresponds to glyceraldehyde, more commonly referred to as LACTIC ACID. It has an asymmetric central C connected to an -OH radical and an H molecule. Monosaccharides can be divided into polyhydroxylated aldehydes, also called aldoses; or in polyhydroxylated ketones, called ketones. A glyceraldehyde is an aldotriose, belonging to the group of aldoses.