Bioinorganic And Metal Coordination Chemistry

Question 1

The Haber process requires high temperature, high pressure and an iron catalyst . Why is this ?

Answer 1

Because in the Haber process we are breaking a N-N triple bind which is the strongest homo-nuclear bond in the universe.
N2 + 3H2 —> 2NH3

Question 2

The element gadolinium is used in MRI scanning. Why is this ? It is in the F block

Answer 2

The element Gd has an outlet F electron configuration of F7 . This makes it a very highly paramagnetic species . It can therefore be injected into a patient and where the element accumulates, the image is enhanced.

Question 3

Why is crab’s blood blue ?

Answer 3

Whilst our blood contains iron as our oxygen carrier , crab’s blood contains copper giving it the blue colour

Question 4

Try to memorize the way our body stores energy as ATP .

Answer 4

• our body collects the glucose from our body.
• the glucose then undergoes a process known as glycolysis. The products of glycolysis then go through the Citric acid cycle.
• The product of the citric acid cycle produced NADH
• the NADH us the broken down to for NAD+ , H+ and an electron.
• electrons are then transported down an electron transport chain. The electrons travel across the chain via proteins. These proteins contain metals and their electron couples are used to transfer electrons between different proteins.
• at each transfer , energy is released by electrons which is used to transport protons against a concentration gradient across the organelle membrane.
• at the end of the electron transport chain the electrons are collected by oxygen molecules to produce water.
• the protons want to naturally move down an osmotic pressure gradient from one side of the cell membrane to the other. To do so the cell membrane contains a proteins which assists this proton movement, known as ATP synthase.
• as the protons move across the ATP synthase, the protein changes shape and attaches a phosphate on to an ADP molecule to form ATP.

Question 5

How are most metals attached to proteins ?

Answer 5

Via the side chains of amino acids

Question 6

Define the primary structure of a protein

Answer 6

The amino acid sequence and and the covalent bonds which join the amino acids together

Question 7

Define the secondary structure of a protein

Answer 7

Relates to the hydrogen bonding interactions within an amino acid chain or between different amino acid chains. A single amino acid chain will form an alpha helix structure while if these H bonds form between different chains then beta pleated sheets form

Question 8

Define the tertiary structure of a protein

Answer 8

How the alpha helix or beta sheets are folded or wrapped around each other to ultimately form the structure or shape of the protein.

Question 9

Define the quaternary structure of a protein

Answer 9

When multiple different alpha helices or beta sheets are come together to individual form sub units to form a large cluster or a protein known as the quaternary structure. The different clusters are joined via hydrogen bonds or charged interactions

Question 10

When a free ion , the manganese (0) has an electronic configuration of [AR]3d⁵4s². What is the electronic configuration of the manganese (0) transition metal when bonded to ligands ?

Answer 10

• [AR]3d⁷