Organic Chemistry
The study of carbon compounds.
Vitalism
The belief in a life force outside the jurisdiction of physical and chemical laws, provided the foundation for the new discipline of organic chemistry.
Mechanism
The view that physical and chemical laws govern all natural phenomena.
Tetravalence
One facet of carbon's versatility that makes large, complex molecules possible. It acts as an intersection point from which a molecule can branch off in as many as four directions.
Hydrocarbon
An organic molecule consisting only of carbon and hydrogen. It is a hydrophobic compound because the great majority of it's bonds aer relatively non-polar carbon-to-hydrogen linkages.
Isomers
Compounds that have the same number of atoms of the same elements but different structures and hence different properties.Three different types.
Structural Isomers
Differ in the covalent arrangement of their atoms.
Geometric Isomers
Have the same covalent partnerships, but they differ in their spatial arrangement.The differences arise from the inflexibility of double bonds, which do not permit rotation.
Enantiomers
One of two compounds that are mirror images of each other. They are important in the pharmaceutical industry because two different ones of a drug may not be equally effective. Examples: Ibuprofen and
Functional Group
A specific configuration of atoms commonly attached to the carbon skeletons of organic molecules and usually involved in chemical reactions.
Hydroxyl
Is polar as a result of the electrons spending more time near the electronegative oxygen atom. Can form hydrogen bonds with water molecules, helping dissolve organic compounds such as sugars.
Carbonyl
A ketone and an aldehyde may be structural isomers with different properties, as is the case for acetone and propanal. These two groups are also found in sugars, giving rise to two major groups of sug
Ketones
A carbonyl group within a carbon skeleton.
Aldehydes
A carbonyl group at the end of a carbon skeleton.
Carboxyl
Has acidic properties because the covalent bond between oxygen and hydrogen is so polar. Found in cells in the ionized form with a charge of 1- and called a carboxylate.
Amino
Acts as a base; can pick up an H+ from the surrounding solution (water, in living organisms). Ionized, with a charge of 1+, under cellular conditions. Glycine is made up of both an amino group and car
Sulfhydryl
Two sulfhydryl groups can react, forming a covalent bond. This "cross-linking" helps stabilize protein structure. Cross-linking of cysteines in hair proteins maintains the curliness or straightness of
Phosphate
Contibutes negative charge to the molecule of which it is a part (2- when at the end of a molecule, as above; 1- when located internally in a chain of phosphates). Has the potential to react with wate
Methyl
Addition of a methyl group to DNA, or to molecules bound to DNA, affects expression of genes. Arrangement of methyl groups in male and female sex hormones affects their shape and function.
ATP (adenosine triphosphate)
an adenine-containing nucleoside triphosphate that releases free energy when its phosphate bonds are hydrolyzed. This energy is used to drive endergonic reactions in cells.
Friedrich Wohler
Attempted to make an "inorganic" salt, ammonium cyanate, by mixing solutions of amonium ions (NH4+) and cyanate ions (CNO−), but instead he made urea, an organic compound present in the urine of anima
Stanley Miller
Set up a closed system to simulate the conditions on early earth to see if organic molecules would form.
Jons Jakob Berzelius
Made the distinction between organic compounds, those thought to arise only in living organisms, and inorganic compounds, those found only in the nonliving world.
Carbon
Has 6 electrons, 4 of which are valence electrons. Completes valence shell by forming covalent bonds with other atoms.
Steroid
A type of lipid characterized by a carbon skeleton consisting of four rings with various chemical groups attached. Examples: female (estradiol) and male (testosterone) sex hormones.
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