27.2 - Amino acids, amides & chirality

Question 1

How do amino acids act as bases?

Answer 1

• The amine group

E.g. amino acid + HCl gives…

Question 2

How do amino acids act as acids?

Answer 2

• The carboxyl group reacts with the base
• E.g. + NaOH
  *

Question 3

How are amino acids esterified?

Answer 3

React with alcohols in the presence of conc. sulfuric acid

Forms ester (NH3+ on one end, ester on the other) + water

Question 4

What is an optical isomer?

Answer 4

Steroisomers that are non-superimposable mirror images of one another with chiral carbon(s).

A chiral carbon has 4 different groups attached to it

Optical isomers are also known as enantiomers