CCHS AP Biology Goldberg

Why study Carbon?

 All living things are made of cells
Chapter 3.1  Cells
The Chemistry of Carbon  ~72% H2O
 ~3% salts (Na, Cl, K…)

 ~25% carbon compounds

 carbohydrates
 lipids
 proteins
 nucleic acids

Chemistry of Life Complex molecules assembled like TinkerToys

 Organic chemistry is the study of
carbon compounds
 C atoms are versatile building blocks
 bonding properties
 4 stable covalent bonds

Hydrocarbons Hydrocarbons can grow…

 Simplest C molecules = hydrocarbons  adding C-C bonds methane ethane

 combinations of C & H  straight line

 Simplest HC molecule = methane  ethane
 1 carbon bound to 4 H atoms  hexane
 non-polar  branching
 not soluble in H2O
hexane
 isohexane
 hydrophobic  ring
 stable
 cyclohexane
 very little attraction between molecules
 a gas at room temperature
isohexane cyclohexane
CCHS AP Biology Goldberg

Diversity of Organic Molecules Isomers

 Molecules with same molecular formula
but different structures
 different chemical properties

Structural Isomers Geometric Isomers

 Molecules differ in structural  Molecules differ in arrangement around
arrangement of atoms C=C double bond
 same covalent partnerships

Enantiomer (stereo) Isomers Form Affects Function!

 Molecules which are mirror images of  Structural differences create important
each other functional significance
 C bonded to 4 different atoms or groups  amino acid alanine
 assymetric  L-alanine used in proteins
 left-handed & right-handed versions  but not D-alanine
 “L” versions are biologically active  medicines
 L-version active
 but not D-version
 sometimes with
tragic results…
CCHS AP Biology Goldberg

Form Affects Function! Diversity of Molecules

 Thalidomide  Substitute other atoms or groups
 prescribed to pregnant women in 50’s & 60’s around the C
 a sedative; reduced morning sickness, but…  ethane vs. ethanol
 stereoisomer caused severe birth defects
 H replaced by an hydroxyl group (–OH)
 nonpolar vs. polar
 gas vs. liquid
 biological effects!

ethane ethanol
Frances Oldham Kelsey

Functional Groups Viva la difference!

 Components of organic molecules that
are involved in chemical reactions
 give organic molecules distinctive
properties
 ex: male & female hormones…
 Basic structure of male & female
hormones is identical
 identical C skeleton
 attachment of different functional groups
 interact with different targets in the body

Types of functional groups Hydroxyl

 6 functional groups most important to  –OH
chemistry of life:  organic compounds with OH = alcohols
 hydroxyl  amino
 names typically end in -ol
 carbonyl  sulfhydryl
 ethanol
 carboxyl  phosphate

 Affect reactivity
 hydrophilic
 increase solubility in water
CCHS AP Biology Goldberg

Carbonyl Carboxyl
 C=O  –COOH
 O double bonded to C  C double bonded to O & single bonded
 if C=O at end molecule = aldelhyde to OH group
 if C=O in middle of molecule = ketone  compounds with COOH = acids
 fatty acids
 amino acids

Amino Sulfhydryl
 -NH2  –SH
 N attached to 2 H  S bonded to H
 compounds with NH2 = amines  compounds with SH = thiols
 amnio acids  SH groups stabilize the structure of proteins
 NH2 acts as base
 ammonia picks up H+ from solution

Phosphate Why study Functional Groups?

 –PO4  These help to make the building blocks
 P bound to 4 O for biological molecules
 connects to C through an O
 PO4 are anions with 2 negative charges
 one function of PO4 is to transfer energy …and that comes next!
between organic molecules (ATP)
CCHS AP Biology Goldberg

Macromolecules Polymers
 Smaller organic molecules join together  Long molecules built by linking chain
to form larger molecules of repeating smaller units
 macromolecules  polymers
 4 major classes of macromolecules:  monomers = repeated small units
 carbohydrates  covalent bonds

 lipids
 proteins

 nucleic acids

How to build a polymer How to break down a polymer

 Condensation reaction
 dehydration synthesis
 joins monomers by “taking” H2O out
 1 monomer provides OH
 the other monomer provides H
 together these
form H2O
 requires energy
& enzymes
 Hydrolysis
 use H2O to break apart monomers
 reverse of condensation reaction
 H2O is split into H and OH
 H & OH group attach where the covalent
bond used to be
 ex: digestion is
hydrolysis