Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life

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Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life

• Chapter 4

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• Organic molecule - molecule contains carbon.
• Living things also composed of other elements
  (i.e. hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), nitrogen (N),
  sulfur (S), and phosphorus (P))

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• Carbon - 6 electrons (2 in first shell, 4 in
  second)
• Carbon is therefore likely to form covalent
  bonds.

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• Carbon chains form skeletons of most organic
  molecules.
• Hydrocarbons - organic molecules that consist of
  only carbon and hydrogen atoms.
• Fats - long hydrocarbon tails attached to a
  non-hydrocarbon component.

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Examples of carbon bonding
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Long hydrocarbon chains
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• Isomers - compounds that have same molecular
  formula but different structures and chemical
  properties.
• 1Structural isomers - molecules that have same
  molecular formula but are different in structure.

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Butane both are C4H10 but are set up
differently
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• 2Geometric isomers - same covalent bonds but
  differ in how electrons are placed.
• Usually double-bonded molecules.
• Because of double bond, molecules cannot rotate
  around double bond.

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Position of X prevents the rotation of the
molecule.
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• 3Enantiomers - mirror images of each other (like
  left and right-hand images)
• There has to be 4 different atoms attached to
  carbon for there to be an enantiomer.

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Diagram on left can be rotated to match diagram
on right
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Functional groups

• Functional groups - groups of organic molecules
  most often used in chemical reactions.
• Arrangement of functional groups give molecules
  their uniqueness.

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Note difference between male and female hormone
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• 6 functional groups.
• 1Hydroxyl group (-OH) Polar covalent bonds -
  increase solubility of molecule.
• Contains functional group - alcohol.

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• 2Carbonyl group (CO) Oxygen atom joined to
  carbon skeleton by double bond.
• If it is attached to end of molecule - aldelhyde.
• If not it is a ketone.

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• 3Carboxylic group (COOH) Acts as an acid.
• Known as carboxylic acids.

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• 4Amino group (NH2) - Acts as base.
• Known as amines.

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• 5Sulfhydryl group (SH) Help stabilize structure
  of proteins.
• Known as thiols.

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• 6).Phosphate group (PO4) One function of this
  group to transfer energy between organic
  molecules.

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