Transcript Carbon and Molecular Diversity

Carbon and
Molecular Diversity
Organic Molecules
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What is an organic molecule?
Molecule that contains carbon
What are the major elements of life?
C, H, N, O, P, and S
The Carbon Atom
What makes the carbon atom so
important to life?
• The electron configuration of carbon
makes it tetravalent.
The carbon atom has 4
valence electrons!
This explains how carbon
makes large complex
molecules possible.
Carbon’s Compatibility
• Carbon frequently combines with O, H, and N.
• Learn the valence numbers for all 4 of these atoms!
Variations in Carbon
Skeletons
How can variations in carbon skeletons
affect the structure and function of
organic molecules?
• Change the length of the carbon skeleton.
• Alter the number and location of double
bonds.
• Change the elements with which carbon
bonds.
Hydrocarbons
What is a hydrocarbon chain?
• It is a long C-H chain
What type of bond is the C-H bond?
• Non-polar covalent
Examples of hydrocarbons:
• fossil fuel component
• framework for large organic macromolecules of life
Isomers
What is an isomer?
• Molecules that have the same
molecular formula but different
structures.
Isomers
geometric isomers
structural isomers
sterioisomers or entantiomers
vary in spatial arrangement vary in covalent arrangement vary in spatial arrangement
around asymetric carbon
Functional Groups
• Have specific chemical and physical
properties
• Are regions of organic molecules
• Behave consistently from one organic
molecule to another
• Affect the structure and function of
organic molecules to which they belong.
A. Hydroxyl Group
What does it look like?
• C-OH
• Alcohols
• Polar and water soluble
B. Carbonyl Group
What does it look like?
• C=O
• At the end of a molecule - called aldehyde
• Within a molecule - called ketone
• Polar and water soluble
Carboxyl Group
What does this group look like? How did it
get its name?
• COOH - This group consists of a carbon
atom that is bonded to both a carbonyl
and a hydroxyl group.
Why is this group acidic?
• It donates H+
• Compounds with this group are called
carboxylic acids
D. Amino Group
What does this group look like?
Either C-NH2 or C-NH3
• Called amines
What causes this group to be considered
a weak base?
• The C-NH2 tends to gain H+, removing
them from the solution.
E. Sulfhydryl Group
What does this group look like?
• C-SH
What is a function of this group?
• Helps stabilize protein structure through
disulfide bridges
F. The Phosphate Group
What does this group look like?
• PO42What are some characteristics of this group?
• Acidic, loses H+
• Polar, water soluble
• Unstable! Therefore important for energy
transfer and storage.
Polymers
• What is a polymer?
• Poly = many; mer = part. A polymer is
a large molecule consisting of many
smaller subunits bonded together.
• What is a monomer?
• A monomer is a subunit of a polymer.
Making and Breaking of
Polymers
• How are covalent linkages between
monomers formed in the creation of
organic polymers?
• Condensation or dehydration synthesis
reactions.
• Monomers are covalently linked to one
another through the removal of water.
Dehydration Synthesis
(aka Condensation)
Hydrolysis
• What is a hydrolysis reaction?
• Polymers are broken down into
monomers.
• Hydro = water; lysis = loosening/
• Water is added and the lysis of the
polymer occurs.
Hydrolysis