Bio-Organic Chemistry Flashcards
Refer to PowerPoint for revision of functional groups.
What are most common organic compounds found in the living system?
Carbohydrates
Lipids
Proteins
Nucleic Acids
Vitamins
What do functional groups determine?
Determine the physical and chemical properties of a molecule
What are homocyclic and heterocyclic ring structures?
Homocyclic ring: All atoms of the ring are the same chemical element
Heterocyclic ring: The ring contains atoms of at least two different elements
What are some examples of homocylic rings and the molecules they are found in?
Phenyl Ring (benzene): Phenylalanine, Tyrosine and Catecholamines
Phananthrene and Cyclopentane: Form the backbones of steroids (e.g. cholesterol and aldosterone)
What are some examples of heterocyclic rings and molecules they are found in?
PIP PIT PF
Pyridine – Vitamins (niacin and pyridoxine)
Indole ring - Tryptophan
Pyrimidines (cytosine, thymine) and purines (adenine, guanine) - Part of nucleotides and nucleic acids
Pyran - Hexoses
Imidazole - Histidine
Thiophene - Part of biotin
Pyrrole - Porphyrins found in heme
Furan - Found in pentoses
Purine and indole are fused heterocyclic rings
What are isomers?
Molecules possessing identical molecular formulae but different structures
What properties of isomers differ from each other?
Physical and chemical properties
What are the categories of isomers?
Structural isomerism
Steroisomerism
What is structural isomerism?
Type 1 isomer
Difference in arrangement of atoms in the molecule
What are the types of structural isomers?
Type 1 isomer
Chain isomerism: Variation in length carbon chains
Position isomerism: Difference in the position of functional groups
Functional isomerism: Difference in both molecular chains and functional groups
Tautomerism: Occurs due to the migration of an atom or group from one position to the other
Examples of tautomerism
Type 1 isomer
Keto (lactam) and enol (lactim)
Purines and pyramidines with oxo functional groups
What is stereoisomerism?
Type 2 isomer
Stereoisomers have the same structural formula but differ in their spatial arrangement of atoms or groups in molecules
What are the types of stereoisomerism?
Type 2 isomer
Geometric isomerism
Optical isomerism
What are the types of geometric isomerism?
Type 2 isomer
Cis-trans isomerism
What is cis-trans isomerism?
Type 2 isomer
Occurs in molecules possessing double bonds
Rotation of groups around the carbon atom is restricted by double bond
Cis-isomer: Similar groups lie on the same side
Trans-isomer: Similar groups lie on opposite sides
How is polarized light (light which vibrates in one direction) produced?
Type 2 isomer
Passing light through a Nicol prism
l or - sign meaning
Type 2 isomer
Levorotatory
Rotate plane polarized light leftwards
d or + sign meaning
Type 2 isomer
Dextrorotatory
Rotate plane polarized light rightwards
D- meaning?
Type 2 isomer
Functional group on right side of chiral carbon
L- meaning?
Type 2 isomer
Functional group on left side of chiral carbon
Complete table
