7.1 Amino Acids Part 2

Question 1

What are the two synthetic methods for amino acid production?

Answer 1

1. strecker synthesis
2. gabriel synthesis

Question 2

What is a basic overview of the Strecker synthesis?

Answer 2

uses ammonium and cyanide salts to transform aldehydes into alpha-amino acids

Question 3

What is a basic overview of the Gabriel synthesis?

Answer 3

nitrogen in a molecule of phthalimide is converted into a primary amine

Question 4

What does it mean to be amphoteric?

Answer 4

act as both and acid and a base

Question 5

When do we use the term ammonium group?

Answer 5

when the amine functional group is in its protonated/acidic form

Question 6

What is a dipolar ion?

Answer 6

negative and positive charges that equal out

Question 7

What is the isoelectric point?

Answer 7

the pH at which a molecule is in its zwitterionic form

Question 8

How do you calculate the pI of a molecule with two functional groups?

Answer 8

average the pKas of the two functional groups

Question 9

What happens when the pH > pKa of the functional group?

Answer 9

functional group will be deprotonated

Question 10

What happens when the pH < pKa of the functional group?

Answer 10

functional group with be protonated

Question 11

What is gel electrophoresis?

Answer 11

general separation technique that can be used to separate amino acids based on their charge