Isomerism 2 Flashcards
Optical isomerism
What is optical isomerism?
optical isomerism occurs when a carbon atom has four different atoms or groups of atoms attached to it.
What do all optical isomers have?
asymmetrical atom or a chiral centre
When a molecule has a chiral centre..?
there are 2 non-superimposable isomers that are mirror images of each other
give an example of optical isomerism?
2-chlorobutane - chlorine group, ethyl group, methyl group and a hydrogen atom attached
what does non-superimposable mean?
means you can not stack one form exactly on top of the other.
what categories do spoons fall into?
mirror images and superimposable
what categories do books fall into?
superimposable but not mirror images
what categories do hands fall into?
non-superimposable and mirror images
for optical isomerism which two categories do they need to fall into?
must be non-superimposable and mirror images
what is the difference between optical isomers and enantiomers?
Enantiomers have the same physical properties except that they differ in their effect on the plane of polarised light (instead they are optically active)
when does plane-polarised light vibrate?
only in one plane
How many enantiomers can we have?
2
in which ways will these enantiomers rotate?
one enantiomer will rotate the plane of the polarised light clockwise (+)
the other enantiomer will rotate the plane of polarised light anticlockwise (-)
how can we measure the rotation of light?
using a polarimeter
how exactly does this work?
by observing the polarised light coming out towards the observer
Which two forms can enantiomers take?
Dextrorotary and Laevorotary
If an enantiomer takes the Dextrorotory form then..?
the light appears to have turned to the right (clockwise) to form a positive (+) dextrorotary enantiomer
If the enantiomer takes a Laevorotary form then light…?
appears to have taken a left turn (anticlockwise) to form a negative enantiomer (-)
Draw out the polarimeter and label which each part does what
A - light source produces light vibrating in all directions
B - polarising filter only allows through light vibrating in one direction
C - plane polarised light passes through the sample
D - if substance is optically active it rotates the plane of polarised light
E - analysing filter is turned so that light reaches a maximum
F - direction of rotation is measure coming towards the observer
what would be classed as an optically inactive mixture?
a mixture of equal amounts of both enantiomers (50:50) is optically inactive because the optical effects of each enantiomer cancel each other out
And what would this mixture be referred to as?
Racemate/ racemic mixture
Optical isomerism is important in..?
Biochemistry
why is only one enantiomer formed in nature?
when optically active molecules are made in nature, only one enantiomer is formed. this is because biological systems involve enzymes that are stereospecific in their action.
*in nature, the molecule is made by enzymes that are stereospecific in their action.
* the enzyme will be a single enantiomer that will only react with one enantiomer to make a single enantiomer.
What biological system is an example of something opticaly active?
enzymes
How many enantiomers can enzymes react with?
only one enantiomer and can only produce one enantiomer as a result of a reaction
Give an example
only the (+) enantiomer of glucose is absorbed by the human body. the (-) enantiomer passes through the body unchanged.
Also amino acids exist as single enantiomers too e.g alanine
the properties of all optically active enantiomers are..?
all identical
the properties of optically active enantiomers are all identical except…?
in reactions with other optically active substances
what is meant by enzymes are sterospecific?
they can distinguish between enantiomers and catalyse the reactions of only one pair of isomers
why can enantiomers have different smells?
this is because our sense receptors are chiral protein molecules
what molecules is naturally occurring chemical with two enantiomers?
Carvone
what does carvone taste like?
one tastes like caraway seeds while the other has a spearmint flavour
Chirality in the pharmaceutical industry
What is drug action determined by and why can Drug action can have different effects?
drug action can be determined by the stereochemistry of the molecule and different optical isomers can have different effects
In optically active drugs only…?
one enantiomer will produce an effect on the body
if only one enantiomer works, why are drugs usually a racemic mixture?
for economical reasons - separation of the enantiomers is very costly
What drug is a chiral molecule and can exist as two enantiomers?
Thalidomide
What was Thalidomide used for?
used to treat anxiety and morning sickness in pregnant women
what did side effects did this have?
many gave birth to children with deformities and missing limbs
After research, how thalidomide caused birth defects, explain how?
it turned out only one enantiomer was effective and safe, its optically active counterpart was not. The major problem was that a mixture of isomers was formed.
( after than was banned worldwide but still babies left with defects)
why have drug companies been encouraged to develop single enantiomer products/drugs?
such products are safer and more effective than the racemate
Give an example of a single enantiomer drug?
Ibuprofen acts much faster as the (+) enantiomer than when administered as a racemate
Questions
explain why the compound CH3CH2(NH2)COOH can exist as an enantiomer?
It can exist as an enantiomer as it has a chiral structure. there are 4 different groups are attached to the 2nd carbon
explain why the compound CH3CH(NH2)COOH occur only in nature as a (-) enantiomer?
In nature, the molecule is made by enzymes that are stereospecific in action. The enzyme will be a single enantiomer that will only react with one enantiomer to make a single enantiomer
Draw two enantiomers of the above carboxylic acid
After exercise Lactic acid builds up in the muscle cells of the body and causes fatigue. what will be the difference between this lactic acid and that prepared in a laboratory?
Muscle cell lactic acid will be a single enantiomer (made by enzymes that are stereospecific in their action.) Which will rotate the plane of polarised light. Lab made lactic acid will be a racemate mixture (50:50 of both enantiomers) and wll not rotate the plane of polarised light - optical effects cancel out.
How could we differenciate between 2 optical isomers of lactic acid?
One will rotate the plane of polarised light clockwise (+) and one will rotate the plane of polarised light anticlockwise (-) by the same amount
Aldehydes and Ketones - oxidation and reduction
Why is the carbon oxygen bond polar? also why does it react with acid?
- the oxygen atom is more electronegative than the carbon atom
- the oxygen atom draws the electrons in the double bond towards itself
- the oxygen atom becomes slightly neg(-) charges and the carbon becomes slightly pos(+) charged
- the pos(+) carbon atom is electron deficient and is attacked by nucleophiles readily
what are nucleophiles?
lone pair of electrons that can donate to form a covalent bond
What are alcohols oxidised by?
Acidified potassium dichromate
what are primary alcohols oxidised to form?
aldehydes
secondary alcohols are oxidised to form?
ketones
general formula for aldehydes and ketones?
CnH2nO
what is the difference between aldehydes and ketones?
aldehydes have a hydrogen atom attached to the carbonyl atom
What is the test for aldehydes?
aldehydes can be further oxidised to carboxylic acids in an excess of the oxidising agent.
(so aldehydes are mild reducing agents)
Tollen’s reagent results for both aldehyde and ketone?
when tollens is warmed with an aldehyde a silver mirror is produced, the aldehyde has been oxidised to a carboxylic acid.
ketones do not react with tollens
Fehlings solution results when warmed with an aldehyde?
when an aldehyde is warmed with fehlings a brick red precipitate is formed. the aldehyde is oxidised to a carboxylic acid
ketones do not react with fehlings
Reduction of Aldehydes and Ketones
aldehydes can be reduced to…?
primary alcholos
Ketones can be reduced to..?
secondary alcohols
How can reduction of aldehydes and ketones take place, by which processes?
Catalytic hydrogenation and reactions with reducing agents such as NaBH4
Catalytic hydrogenation
What catalyst is used to reduce Aldehydes and ketones?
Nickel catalyst
why can the C=O bond go undergo catalytic hydrogenation in the same way as C=C?
because the C=O bond is saturated in the same way that C=C bond is saturated when alkenes undergo catalytic hydrogenation
what happens when these bonds undergo catalytic hydrogenation
these bonds become saturated
Show a displayed formula of the catalytic hydrogenation of butanone?
what temperature is needed for this reaction?
150 DEGREES
How are aldehydes and ketones reduced using NaBH4?
aldehydes and ketones are reacted with sodium tetrahydridoborate(III) and adds hydrogen via a nucleophilic attack on the slightly positive carbon of the carbonyl group
why can nucleophiles not attack alkenes?
therefore..?
electron rich double bond repels nucleophiles. therefore, reagents such as NaBH4 can be used to SELECTIVELY REDUCE aldehydes and ketones
What are the reaction conditions needed for the Nucleophilic addition of the hydride ion?
- NaBH4 OR LIBH4 in aqueous solution
Draw out the full mechanism of the nucleophillic addition of the hydride ion.
explain this mechanism in steps
- carbonyl group of an aldehyde or ketone is attacked by a nucleophile, an addition rection occurs and the carbon double bond becomes a single bond
- reagents such as NaBH4 and LiBH4 provide the hydride ion (:H-)
- An oxyanion intermediate is formed which gains a proton (H+) from the solvent (e.g water/weak acid)
- the reaction with NaBH4 is normally carried out in aqueous solution
Show the mechanism for the reduction of ethanal by NaBH4
Show the mechanism for the reduction of propanone by NaBH4
why is reduction using NaBH4 preferred to reduction using Catalytic hydrogenation in compounds that have multiple functional groups?
NaBH4 is capable of selectively reducing the carbonyl group. H2/Ni does not select what it reduces - tends to reduce anything present that can be reduced
In what conditions does Reduction with NaBH4 take place?
In Aqueous conditions
Nucleophilic addition reaction of aldehydes and ketones with KCN followed by dilute acid
what do Aldehydes and ketones form when undergoing nucleophilic reactions with KCN and dilute acid
hydroxynitriles
Draw the reaction mechanism for nucleophilic addition reaction of aldehyde (ethanal) and ketone (butanone + propanone) with KCN followed by dilute acid. explain the mechanism in steps + include the final products
the :CN- (from the KCN) acts as a nucleophile and attacks the electron deficient slight positive carbon atom of the carbonyl group
- the anion then gains a proteon from the (H+) from the dilute acid
Products aldehyde: 2-hydroxypropanenitrile
products butanone: 2-hydroxy-2-methylbutanenitrile
products propanone: 2-hydroxy-2-methylpropanenitrile
When is a chiral centre produced in a ketone?
only when the starting ketone is asymmetrical
Nucleophilic addition of hydrogen cyanide to aldehydes and ketones
what do aldehydes and ketones form with hydrogen cyanide?
hydroxynitriles
why is this reaction rarely carried out?
due to the highly toxic nature of HCN gas
What is the overall equation for the reaction between ethanal and Hydrogen cyanide?
—> 2-hydroxypropanenitrile
CH3CHO + HCN —-> CH3CH(OH)CN
What is the overall equation for the reaction between butanone and Hydrogen cyanide?
—-> 2-hydroxy-2-methylbutanenitrile
CH3COCH2CH3 + HCN —> CH3CH2C(OH)(CH3)CN
What is the overall equation for the reaction between propanone and Hydrogen cyanide?
—-> 2-hydroxy-2-methylpropanenitrile
CH3COCH3 + HCN —> (CH3)2C(OH)CN
What are the hazards of using KCN?
- KCN is highly toxic and HCN is extremely toxic and can lead to death
- If there is a risk of HCN a fume cupboard should be used
- hydrogen cyanide is also highly flammable
why is the addition of the -CN group very useful in organic synthesis?
because it increases the number of carbon atoms in the molecules and so increases the chain length
What are the other advantages of the -CN group?
- easily converted into other functional groups once it has been added to a molecule
- the -CN can be converted into a -COOH (a carboxylic acid by hydrolysis
- the -CN group can be reduced to -CH2NH2 (an amine) by catalytic hydrogenation
How can 2-Hydroxypropanenitrile be hydrolysed and reduced to form what products?
CH3CH(OH)CN ——H2O+H+—-> CH3CH(OH)COOH (hydrolysis to form carboxylic acid)
CH3CH(OH)CN —– H2/N2—–> CH3CH(OH)CH2NH2 (reduced via catalytic hydrogenation to form a amine)
the reaction of aldehydes and ketones with acidified KCN produces racemic mixture.
Title
what happens when ethanal is reacted with KCN. What does it produce?
forms 2-hydroxypropanenitrile - which has a chiral centre
when this product is made in a labarotory what is produced?
an optically inactive (+_) racemic mixture