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MCAT prep > Organic Chemistry > Flashcards

Organic Chemistry Flashcards

1
Q

Enantiomers

A

Nonsuperimposable stereoisomers thalat are mirror images of each other. Enantiomers differ in configuration at every chiral center but share the same chemica land physical properties in a nonstereospecific environment. If one enantiomer of a compound has (+) optical activity, then the other will have (-) optical activity, and vice versa

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2
Q

Effusion

A

The movement of gas through a small opening into an area of lower pressure

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3
Q

Primary amine

A

An amine where the nitrogen atom is attached to one alkyl chain (H2NR)

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4
Q

Anomers

A

Cyclic stereoisomers that differ in configuration at the hemiacetal carbon (C1). In a six-membered ring, if the hydroxy group attached to the C1 and the substituent attached to the C5 are trans to each other, the molecule is referred to as the alpha anomer. If both groups are cis to each other, then the molecule is referred to as the beta anomer. Note that the C1 and C5 are carbons adjacent to the oxygen in the ring

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5
Q

Haloalkanes

A

Alkanes with a halogen substituent. The compound can be named either has a haloalkane or as an alkyl halide

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6
Q

Geometric Isomers

A

Isomers that differ in the arrangement of substituents around a double bond. Geometric isomers are often differentiated using either the cis/trans notation for simple compounds or Z/E notation for more complex compounds, and can differ in their physical and chemical properties

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7
Q

Alkynes

A

Compounds containing carbon-carbon triple bonds. The compound is named by replacing the -ane in the alkane with -yne

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8
Q

Nucleophile

A

A species that tends to donate electrons in the chemical reactions. Nucleophiles are attarcted to (+) charge. For nucleophiles with the same attacking atom (O- to O3-) in aprotic solvents, nucleophile strength correlates to basicity. In protic solvents and in situations where the attacking atom is different (O-, S3-), nucleophile strength correlates with size

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9
Q

Isoelectric Point

A

The point at which a compound is electrically neutral. During isoelectric focusing, a molecule (such as a protein) will migrate towards its isoelectric point

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10
Q

Oxidation of Alcohols

A

Primary alcohols can be oxidize to aldehydes using PCC and further oxidized to carboxylic acids using KMnO4, Na2Cr2O7, or CrO3. Secondary alcohols can be oxidized to ketones using any of these oxidants

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11
Q

Grignard Reagent

A

An alkyl magnesium halide that is used to make carbon-carbon bonds. The alkyl group in a Grignard reagent has a negative charge and acts as a nucleophile attacking electrophillic carbons

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12
Q

Epimers

A

Isomers that differ in configuration at only one stereogenic center

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13
Q

Meso Compound

A

A stereoisomer with an internal plane of symmetry. Meso compounds are optically inactive

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14
Q

Diastereomers

A

Stereoisomers that are not mirror images of each other. Diastereomers differ in their configurations in at least one chiral center and share the same configuration in at least one chiral center. They have similar chemical properties but different physical properties

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15
Q

Recrystallization

A

a separation technique used to purify the particles of interest from a mixture of solids. The mixture is dissolved in saturating amounts in warm solvent. As the solution cools, the pure substance crystallizes while impurities remain in solution

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16
Q

Structural Isomers

A

Compounds with the same molecular formula but different connectivity. Structural isomers have different chemical and physical properties

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17
Q

Nitrile

A

A nitrogen triple-bonded to a carbon

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18
Q

Monosaccharides

A

the smallest unit of carbohydrates. Glucose and fructose are examples of monosaccharides (sugars)

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19
Q

SN1 Reactions

A

Unimolecular nucleophilic subsitution reactions. Leaving group leaves, forming a carbocation that then reacts with a nucleophile. Reactivity increases from methyl to primary to secondary to tertiary with increasing carbocation stability

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20
Q

Secondary Carbon

A

A carbon atom bonded to two other carbon atoms

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21
Q

Alpha Carbon

A

Carbon adjacent to the carbon containing the functionality under consideration

22
Q

Chromatography

A

a separation technique that uses the retention time of a compound in the mobile phase as it travels through the stationary phase to separate compounds with different properties

23
Q

Carboxylic Acid

A

A compound that has an COOH terminal group. Carboxylic acids are named by replacing the -e in the corresponding alkane with -oic acid. Formic acid and acetic acid are common names for the simplest carboxylic acids: methanoic acid and ethanoic acid, respectively

24
Q

Amide

A

a compound that has a carbonyl group bonded to nitrogen. Amides are named by dropping the -oic acid in the corresponding acid and adding -amide. Substituents attached to the nitrogen are listed following N-

25
Q

Tertiary Structure of Proteins

A

Three-dimensional structure of a peptide that results from hydrophobic and hydrophillic interactions between residues far apart on the chain. Disulfide bonds and hydrogen bonds can also add to the tertiary structure of the protein

26
Q

Glycosidic Linkage

A

the bond that forms when the hemiacetal group of one sugar reacts with a hydroxyl group of another sugar to form an acetal group in between the two sugars. Polysaccharides are held together by glycosidic linkages

27
Q

Leaving group

A

atoms that can dissociate to form a stable species after accepting electron pairs. Weak bases tend to be good leaving groups

28
Q

Conformational Isomer

A

stereoisomers that differ by rotation about one or more single bonds, usually represented using Newman projections

29
Q

Ketone

A

a compound that has a non-terminal carbonyl group. Ketones are named by replacing the -e in the corresponding alkane with -one

30
Q

Stereoisomers

A

compounds with the same molecular formula and connectivity but different arrangements in space. Stereoisomers include geometric isomers, diastereomers, enantiomers, conformational isomers, and meso compounds

31
Q

Hydrogren Bonding

A

Strong intermolecular bond between a hydrogen atom bonded to an electronegative atom ( F, O, or N) and lone electron pairs on the F, O or N atom

32
Q

Racemic Mixture

A

a mixture that contains equal amounts of the (+) and (-) enantiomers. Racemic mixtures, while made up of optically active molecules, are not optically active themselves

33
Q

Alkanes

A

compounds consisting of only carbons and hydrogens bonded with sigma bonds. As chain length increases, boiling point, melting point, and density increase. However, chain branching decreases both boiling point and density

34
Q

Aldose

A

Sugar that contains an aldehyde group

35
Q

Secondary Structure of Proteins

A

regularly repeating local structures such as alpha-helices and beta-pleated sheets often formed by hydrogen bonds between resides that are nearby on the chain nearby on the polypeptide chain

36
Q

Distillation

A

a separation technique used to separate liquids with different boiling points. The mixture is heated slowly, and as the liquid with the lower boiling point converts into its gaseous form, it passes through a condenser, where it ools back into its liquid form

37
Q

Enolization

A

the process by which the carbonyl oxygen of a ketone gets protonated to form an enol

38
Q

Sublimation

A

a separation technique used to separate a mixture of solids from impurities that have different vapor pressures The sample is heated under a vacuum. As it sublimes directly into the gaseous phase, the gas is condensed on a cold surface.

39
Q

Mutarotation

A

the conversion of an alpha anomer to a beta anomer that occurs when a sugar ring opens, rotates about the bond between c1 and c2 and closes

40
Q

Primary structure of proteins

A

The sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide, read from the N-terminus to the C-terminus

41
Q

Centrifugation

A

a separation technique used to separate particles according to mass, shape, and density. Particles of greater mass and density settle near the bottom of the test tubes, while lighter compounds remain on top

42
Q

Imine

A

A compound that has carbon double-bonded to nitrogen

43
Q

Filtration

A

a separation technique used to separate solids from a liquid. This technique utilizes a filter that allows liquids and small particles to pass through while retaining larger particles

44
Q

Aldehyde

A

a compound that has a HC=O as a terminal group. Aldehydes are named by replacing the -e in the corresponding alkane with -al. Formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and propionaldehyde are common names used for the simplest aldehydes

45
Q

tautomers

A

isomers that can interconvert by exchanging the location of a proton

46
Q

Zwitterion

A

an amphoteric compound with positive and negative charges in different locations, but no net electric charge

47
Q

SN2 Reactions

A

bimolecular nucleophilic subsititution reactions occur through a concerted mechanism where nucleophile attacks as the leaving group starts to leave. Reactivity increases from tertiary to secondary to primary with decreasing steric effects

48
Q

Alkenes

A

compounds containing carbon-carbon double bonds. The compound is named by replacing the -ane in the corresponding alkane with -ene

49
Q

Conjugated Proteins

A

proteins that require a covalently bonded prosthetic group to function properly. Hemoglobin is an example of such a protein

50
Q

Quaternary Structure of Proteins

A

dfferent polypeptide chains, each referred to as a subunit, associate together to form a functional protein

51
Q

Secondary Amine

A

An amine where the nitrogen atom is attached to two alkyl chains (HNR2)

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