Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life Water
Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life
Water is the medium of life and Carbon is the backbone
Organic chemistry l The study of carbon compounds - from simple (methane) to complex (proteins)
Origins of Life l 1953, Stanley Miller l Concluded that complex organic molecules could arise spontaneously in conditions like those of the early Earth l Showed how abiotic synthesis of organic compounds fits into the context of evolution
Figure 4. 2 EXPERIMENT “Atmosphere” Water vapor CH 4 Electrode NH 3 H 2 Condenser Cooled “rain” containing organic molecules H 2 O “sea” Sample for chemical analysis Cold water
What did he find? l Organic l molecules Formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide, amino acids, hydrocarbons
Carbon bonds to 4 other atoms and forms diverse molecules l Electron configuration is the key to an atom’s characteristics determines the kinds and number of bonds an atom will form with other atoms
Figure 4. 3 Name and Comment The shapes of some simple organic molecules Molecular Formula (a) Methane CH 4 (b) Ethane C 2 H 6 (c) Ethene (ethylene) C 2 H 4 Structural Formula Ball-and. Stick Model Space-Filling Model
The electron configuration of carbon gives it covalent compatibility with many different elements
urea l Carbon chains form the skeletons of most organic molecules l Carbon chains vary in length and shape
Animation: Carbon Skeletons Right-click slide/select “Play” © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Figure 4. 5 (c) Double bond position (a) Length Ethane Propane (b) Branching Butane 1 -Butene 2 -Butene (d) Presence of rings 2 -Methylpropane (isobutane) Cyclohexane Benzene
Hydrocarbons l Consists only of carbon and hydrogen - Many organic molecules have hydrocarbon components (fats) l Hydrocarbons can undergo reactions that release a large amount of energy
Figure 4. 6 Nucleus Fat droplets 10 m (a) Part of a human adipose cell (b) A fat molecule
isomers l compounds with the same formula but different structures (and thus properties) l Structural l Cis-trans isomers l Enantiomers - mirror images of each other
Figure 4. 7 (a) Structural isomers (b) Cis-trans isomers cis isomer: The two Xs are on the same side. trans isomer: The two Xs are on opposite sides. (c) Enantiomers CO 2 H H NH 2 CH 3 L isomer NH 2 H CH 3 D isomer
Pharmaceutical importance of enantiomers l Two enantiomers of a drug may have different effects l Usually one isomer is biologically active l Differing effects of enantiomers show that organisms are sensitive to even subtle variations in molecules
Figure 4. 8 Drug Condition Ibuprofen Pain; inflammation Albuterol Effective Enantiomer Ineffective Enantiomer S-Ibuprofen R-Albuterol S-Albuterol Asthma
Functional Groups l components of organic molecules most commonly involved in chemical reactions The number and arrangement of functional groups give each molecule its unique properties
Figure 4. UN 02 Estradiol Testosterone
l The seven functional groups that are most important in the chemistry group l l l l Carboxyl group - COOH Hydroxyl group - OH Carbonyl - C=O Amino group – NH 2 Sulfhydryl group – S-H Phosphate group – PO 4 Methyl group – CH 3(addition of methyl group affects DNA expression) © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Functional groups and their properties BASIC l Amine Group ACIDIC l Carboxyl Group (think carboxylic acid) ENERGY TRANSFER l Phosphate (think ATP!)
Figure 4. 9 -a CHEMICAL GROUP Hydroxyl Carbonyl Carboxyl STRUCTURE (may be written HO—) NAME OF COMPOUND Alcohols (Their specific names usually end in -ol. ) Ketones if the carbonyl group is within a carbon skeleton Carboxylic acids, or organic acids Aldehydes if the carbonyl group is at the end of the carbon skeleton EXAMPLE Ethanol Acetone Acetic acid Propanal FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES • Is polar as a result of the electrons spending more time near the electronegative oxygen atom. • Can form hydrogen bonds with water molecules, helping dissolve organic compounds such as sugars. • A ketone and an aldehyde may be structural isomers with different properties, as is the case for acetone and propanal. • Ketone and aldehyde groups are also found in sugars, giving rise to two major groups of sugars: ketoses (containing ketone groups) and aldoses (containing aldehyde groups). • Acts as an acid; can donate an H+ because the covalent bond between oxygen and hydrogen is so polar: Nonionized Ionized • Found in cells in the ionized form with a charge of 1 and called a carboxylate ion.
Figure 4. 9 -b Amino Sulfhydryl Phosphate Methyl (may be written HS—) Amines Organic phosphates Thiols Cysteine Glycine • Acts as a base; can pick up an H + from the surrounding solution (water, in living organisms): Nonionized Ionized • Found in cells in the ionized form with a charge of 1+. Glycerol phosphate • Two sulfhydryl groups can react, forming a covalent bond. This “cross-linking” helps stabilize protein structure. • Contributes negative charge to the molecule of which it is a part (2– when at the end of a molecule, as above; 1– when located internally in a chain of phosphates). • Cross-linking of cysteines in hair proteins maintains the curliness or straightness of hair. Straight hair can be “permanently” curled by shaping it around curlers and then breaking and re-forming the cross-linking bonds. • Molecules containing phosphate groups have the potential to react with water, releasing energy. Methylated compounds 5 -Methyl cytidine • Addition of a methyl group to DNA, or to molecules bound to DNA, affects the expression of genes. • Arrangement of methyl groups in male and female sex hormones affects their shape and function.
ATP: Adenosine Triphosphate -energy for cellular processes Adenosine ATP is the primary energy-transferring molecule in the cell consists of an organic molecule called adenosine attached to a string of three phosphate groups
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