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CHAPTER 4
CARBON

Living organisms made of carbon based molecules…from products of photosynthesis…

Carbon compounds: proteins, carbohaydrates, nucleic acids, fats
ORGANIC CHEMISTRY: study of carbon compounds
Stanley Miller (1953) Classic experiment of synthesizing organic compounds from inorganic
molecules.
Fig. (4.2)
CARBON BONDING: four valence electrons, typically SHARES with atoms in covalent bonds
3D shape:
a
b.
** should know the Lewis dot structures of C, H, O, N, S, P
HYDROCARBONS: organic molecules consisting of only carbon and hydrogen (ie. petroleum).
--Not typical of molecules in living things..but PARTS of larger carbon compounds contain
chains of hydrocarbons (ie. fats).
--These chains are hydrophobic…all non-polar, and that’s why both fats and petroleum are do
not dissolve in water.
ISOMERS:
Fig. 4.7
STRUCTURAL ISOMERS:
GEOMETRIC ISOMERS:
ENANTIOMERS
ALL OF THESE DIFFERENCES CAN DRAMATICALLY CHANGE THE
BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF THE MOLECULE.
:.
FUNCTIONAL GROUPS: chemical groups that are directly involved in the chemical rxn
Ie. hormone comparison of testosterone and estradiol… both have 4 fused rings..but different
functional groups…therefore different function. Fig. 4.9
7 common functional groups: ALL except methyl are hydrophilic functional groups (therefore
increases the molecules solubility in water) KNOW THEM (page 64-65)
hydroxyl
carbonyl
carboxyl
amino
sulfhydryl
phosphate
methyl
ATP: adenosine triphosphate NOTATION: