Carbon

Ch 4

Chemistry of Life

Organic Chemistry – study of carbon compds

•C atoms are versatile building blocks•bonding properties…complexity/diversity to living matter•4 stable covalent bonds•p50-51 Fig 4.2, 4.4

Hydrocarbons

•Combinations of C and H•Non-polar•Hydrophobic•Store lg amts of energy•stable•very little attraction between molecules

Methane

Variations in C - Skeleton

Isomers

•Same molecular formula but different structures (shapes)

-different chemical properties and biological functions

6 carbons

6 carbons

6 carbons

Structural Isomers – differ in arrangements of atoms

Geometric Isomers – variation in arrangement about a double bond

Enantiomers – variation in spatial Arrangement around an asymmetric carbon…molecules that are mirror images

stereoisomersstereoisomers

Thalidomide

Functional Groups• Parts of organic molecules that are involved

in chemical reactions– give organic molecules distinctive properties

hydroxyl amino carbonyl sulfhydryl carboxyl phosphate

• Affect reactivity– makes hydrocarbons hydrophilic – increase solubility in water

Why do Functional Groups Matter?• Basic structure of male & female hormones

is identical– identical carbon skeleton – attachment of different functional

groups– interact with different targets in the

body• different effects

Hydroxyl • –OH = alcohols

– names typically end in -ol• ethanol

Carbonyl• C=O

• if C=O at end molecule = aldehyde• if C=O in middle of molecule = ketone• Emma is awesome

Carboxyl• –COOH

• compounds with COOH = acids– fatty acids– amino acids

Amino • -NH2

• compounds with NH2 = amines– amino acids

• NH2 acts as base

– ammonia picks up H+ from solution

Sulfhydryl

• –SH • compounds with SH = thiols• SH groups stabilize the structure of proteins

Phosphate• –PO4

• connects to C through an O• lots of O = lots of negative charge

– highly reactive

• transfers energy between organic molecules – ATP, GTP, etc.

Functional Groups

http://telstar.ote.cmu.edu/biology/supplements/functional-group/

Excellent Flash Tutorial