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Chapter 4 Carbon and The Molecular Diversity of Life
Chapter 4 Carbon and The Molecular Diversity of Life
Figure 4.1
Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Benjamin Cummings
• Concept 4.1: Organic chemistry is the study of
carbon compounds
• Organic compounds
– Range from simple molecules to colossal ones
A variety of organic compounds that play key roles in living cells were
RESULTS synthesized in Miller’s apparatus.
Organic compounds may have been synthesized abiotically on the
CONCLUSION early Earth, setting the stage for the origin of life. (We will explore
Figure 4.2 this hypothesis in more detail in Chapter 26.)
Copyright © 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Benjamin Cummings
• Concept 4.2: Carbon atoms can form diverse
molecules by bonding to four other atoms
H H
(b) Ethane C2H
H C C H
6
H H
(c) Ethene H H
C2H4 C C
Figure 4.3 A-C (ethylene) H H
H O N C
Figure 4.4
• Carbon chains
– Form the skeletons of most organic molecules
– Vary in length and shape
H H H H H
(a) Length H C C C H
H C C H
H H H H H
Ethane Propane
H
H C H
H H H H H H
(b) Branching H C C C C H H C C C H
H H H H H H H
Butane 2-methylpropane
(commonly called isobutane)
H H H H H H H H
(c) Double bonds H
C C C C H H C C C C H
H H H H
1-Butene 2-Butene
H H H
H C H H
(d) Rings H C C H C C H
H C H C
H C H C C
C
100 µm
Figure 4.6 A, B (a) A fat molecule (b) Mammalian adipose cells
(c) Enantiomers C C
H NH2NH2 H
CH3 CH3
L-Dopa D-Dopa
(effective against (biologically
Figure 4.8 Parkinson’s disease) inactive)
• Functional groups
– Are the chemically reactive groups of atoms
within an organic molecule
OH
CH3
Estradiol
HO
Female lion
OH
CH3
CH3
O
Testosterone
FUNCTIONAL
HYDROXYL CARBONYL CARBOXYL
GROUP
O O
OH C C
(may be written HO ) OH
H H
O
H C C C
H H H
Figure 4.10 Propanal, an aldehyde
FUNCTIONAL Is polar as a result of the A ketone and an Has acidic properties because
PROPERTIES electronegative oxygen atom aldehyde may be it is a source of hydrogen ions.
drawing electrons toward structural isomers with The covalent bond between
different properties, as oxygen and hydrogen is so polar
itself. that hydrogen ions (H+) tend to
is the case for acetone
Attracts water molecules, and propanal. dissociate reversibly; for
helping dissolve organic example,
compounds such as sugars
(see Figure 5.3).
H O H O
H C C H C C + H+
H OH H O
H SH O
N (may be written HS ) O P OH
H OH
H H H H OH OH H O
O
C C N H C C SH H C C C O P O
HO H H
H H H H H O
Glycine Ethanethiol
Glycerol phosphate
N +N H
H H
(nonionized) (ionized)