LECTURE 8

13.8 AMINO ACIDS

Amino Acids
The organic compound that contain both amino group (-NH2) and carboxyl group
(-COOH) are called amino acid.
General Formula:

R is different for different amino acids.

Examples:
Importance:
• Amino acids are main constituents of most of the animal and plant proteins.
• They are the building blocks of proteins.
• They form nitrogen-containg compound like peptide harmones, neurotransmitter etc.
Classification of Amino Acids
1. Alpha α - Amino Acids
2. Beta Amino Acids
3. Gamma Amino Acids
1. Alpha α - Amino Acids
The amino acids in which amino group (-NH2) is attached to alpha carbon of
carboxylic acid are called alpha amino acids.
Almost all naturally occuring amino acids are alpha amino acids.

2. Beta Amino Acids

The amino acids in which amino group (-NH 2) is attached to beta carbon of
carboxylic acid are called beta amino acids.

3. Gamma Amino Acids

The amino acids in which amino group (-NH2) is attached to gamma carbon of
carboxylic acid are called gamma amino acids.

Importance:
•
•
•
Types of Amino Acids
1. Neutral Amino Acids
2. Acidic Amino Acids
3. Basic Amino Acids
1. Neutral Amino Acids
The amino acids which contains One amino group (-NH 2) and One carboxyl group
(-COOH) are called acidic amino acids.
 Corboxyl group = Amino group

2. Acidic Amino Acids

The amino acids which contains One amino group (-NH2) and Two carboxyl
groups (-COOH) are called acidic amino acids.
Corboxyl group > Amino group

3. Basic Amino Acids

The amino acids which contains Two amino groups (-NH 2) and One carboxyl
group (-COOH) are called basic amino acids.
Amino group > Corboxyl group

13.8.1 Essential and Non-essential Amino Acids

Twenty amino acids are required for protein synthesis in the human body.
Essential Amino Acids
The amino acids which body cannot synthesize are called essential amino acids.
They are 10 in number.
They are must supplied through diet.
The deficiency of essential amino acids may cause diseases.
Example: Lycine, Valine, Histidine
Non-essential Amino Acids
The amino acids which body can synthesize are called non-essential amino acids.
They are 10 in number.
They are not required in diet.
Example:Glycene, Alanine, Proline
13.8.2 Nomenclature of Amino Acids
Glycine has a sweet taste (Greek glykys - sweet). It is abbreviated as Gly
Tryosine was first isolated from cheese (Greek tryos-cheese).
Amino acid has been given an abbreviation of first three letters of the common name.
Alanine is represented as Ala.
Neutral Amino Acids
Glycine Gly
Alanine Ala
Valine Val
Proline Pro
Acidic Amino Acids
Aspartic acid Asp
Glutamic acid Gla
Acidic Amino Acids
Lysine Lys
Histidine His
13.8.3 Structure of Amino Acids
Zwitter Ion
The dipolar ionic structure of amino acid is called Zwitter ion. It has positive and
negative ends within the same molecule.
Fromation
In Zwitter ion, the proton goes from the carboxyl group to amino group. The
dipolar structure is also called internal salt.

13.8.4 Acidic and Basic Characters of Amino Acids

Acidic Characters of Amino Acids
When an alkali is added to an amino acid, NH3 group releases the proton
and show acidic character.

Basic Characters of Amino Acids

When an acid is added to an amino acid the carboxylate ion accepts the proton and
show basic character.

13.8.5 Synthesis of Amino Acid

Reaction of α - Bromoacid with Ammonia
Conversion of Carboxylic acid into alpha amino acids
Conversion of Propanoic acid into 2-aminopropanoic acid

The Strecker Synthesis

Conversion of Aldehyde into Amino acid in the presence of HCN
Aldehyde react with hydrogen cyanide in the presence of ammonia, to give α - amino acid is
obtained.
 13.8.6 Reactions of Amino Acids
1. Esterification
Amino acids react with an alcohol to form aminoester.

2. Reaction with Nitrous Acid

Preparation of Alpha hydroxy carboxylic acid
Amino acids react with nitrous acid to produce α - hydroxy carboxylic acid.
Nitrogen gas released in this reaction.

13.8.7 Test of Amino Acids

Ninhydrin Test
Ninhydrin test is used to test amino acids. Ninhydrin reacts with amino acid to
form an intensely coloured bluish violet product.
• The ninhydrin reaction is also widely used to “visualize’’ amino acids
separated by paper chromatography.
Reaction: (Not Required)

13.8.8 Peptidos and Proteins

Peptide
Peptides are the compounds formed by the condensation of two or more same or
different -amino acids. The condensation occurs between amino acids with the
elimination of water.
Peptide Linkage / Peptide Bond
The condensation reaction of amino acids in which the carboxyl group of one
amino acid and amino group of another amino acid gets condensed with
elimination of water. The resulting CO-NH linkage is called a peptide linkage.

Dipeptide
The condensation reaction of two amino acids in which the carboxyl group of one
amino acid and amino group of another amino acid gets condensed to form
diamide with elimination of water is called dipeptide.

Polypeptide
A peptide having molecular mass upto 10,000 is called a polypeptide.
The large number (hundreds to thousands) of amino acids joined by peptide bond
to form polyamide. The resulting polyamide is called polypeptide.

Protiens
A peptide having a molecular mass more than 10,000 is called a protein.
The formation of peptide bonds can continue until a molecule of several hundred
thousand amino acids is formed. Such a molecule is called protein.
IMPORTANT SHORT QUESTIONS
1. What are amino acids? Give two examples. Write their importance.
What are amino acids. Give their general formula. Give two examples.
2. What are amino acids? Explain their different types with on example of each.
3. Difference between alpha, beta and gamma amino acids.
What are alpha amino acid give their importance.
4. What are neutral amino acids. Give two examples.
5. What are acidic and basic amino acids. Give two examples.
6. What is the difference between essential and non essential amino acids.
What are the essential and non-essential amino acids.
7. Write down formula of valine, lysine and alanine.
Write structural formula of lysine and valine.
8. Write down formula of glycene and alanine.
9. Write down the name and structural formula of two amino acids.
10. What is zwitter ion.
11. Discuss acidic and basic character of amino acid.
12. How amino acid is synthesized? Give one method.
How carboxylic acid are converted into alpha amino acids.
13. How propanoic acid can be converted into 2-aminopropanoic acid?
Convert propanoic acid into 2-aminopropanoic acid.
14. How amino acids are prepaid prepared by Strecker's synthesis?
Write down the strecker method of amino acid preparation.
15. Give two reaction of alpha amino acids.
16. What is ninhydrin test?
17. What is peptide bond? Write down formula of dipeptide.
18. What is dipeptide. Write down the formula of dipeptide.
19. Differentiate between polypeptide and protien.
20. Define protiens. How do these differ from polypeptides.