Inorganic Chemistry

Question 1

What is the main type of bonding in organic chemistry?

Answer 1

Covalent

Question 2

What are the 3 main types of bonding in inorganic chemistry?

Answer 2

Covalent, Ionic and Dative

Question 3

Name some group 1 metals? How could you categorise them?

Answer 3

Sodium, Potassium, Lithium

They are salts

Question 4

Role of sodium/potassium in the body?

Answer 4

Work together in balance in many areas e.g. sodium-potassium pumps in cell membranes

Balance water levels, maintain concentration gradient

Question 5

Common use of Lithium (Li)

Answer 5

Lithium Carbonate (Li2CO3) is a drug used for bipolar and depression

Question 6

Name some important group 2 metals?

Answer 6

Calcium, Magnesium, Strontium and Barium

Question 7

Role(s) of Calcium in the body?

Answer 7

Prevalent in the bone

Ca2+ involved in many areas e.g. blood clotting, nerve signal transmission and muscle contraction

Question 8

Most common calcium therapy? What is it used for?

Answer 8

Calcium channel blockers

Used for hypertension and angina

Question 9

Common Magnesium therapies? What are they used for?

Answer 9

Magnesium carbonate and magnesium sulphate

Used for gastrointestinal indications e.g. laxative, indigestion (CO3)

Question 10

What are period 4 metals known as?

Characteristics?

Answer 10

Transition metals

Different oxidation states, incomplete shell

Question 11

Important period 4 metals?

Answer 11

Iron + Zinc

Question 12

Discuss importance of Iron in the body

Answer 12

Most importantly found in haemoglobin

Haem is also found in cytochromes in electron-transport chain (cytochrome p450 enzymes)

Question 13

Importance of Zinc?

Answer 13

Found in active site of many enzymes, including angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE inhibitor pathway - hypertension)

Question 14

What type of metal is Silver/ (Ag)

Common medicinal use?

Answer 14

It is a precious metal

Has been used to treat warts

Question 15

What is cisplatin?

How does it work?

Answer 15

It is a chemotherapy drug used in cancer treatment made from a complex including platinum (precious metal)

Binds to DNA to prevent replication

Question 16

Importance of phosphorus? (what is it? where is it?)

Different forms?

Answer 16

Phosphorus is a non-metal

It is found in nucleic acids, often encountered as phosphoric acid (as valence state P5)

There are different isotopes, which allow it to act as a buffer

Found in DNA in phosphodiester bonds

ATP contain phosphoanhydride

Phosphates are very hydrophilic (can’t get through membranes)

Question 17

Importance of Sulfur?
(what is it? where is it?)

Different forms?

Answer 17

Non-metal

Similar chemistry to oxygen but can have different valence states

Found in cysteine and methionine residues in proteins

32S is normal isotope

Thiols (R-SH) - bad smelling

Question 18

Example of a sulfur containing drug?

Answer 18

Captopril - ACE inhibitor

Contains a Thiol group (R-SH), which donates electrons to ACE

Question 19

Example of a sulfur containing diabetic molecule?

Answer 19

Insulin - contains cysteine residues which are joined oxidatively with disulphide bridges

Question 20

Sulfur in acid reflux?

Answer 20

Omeprazole - Proton Pump Inhibitor which contains S in the +2 state