Organic compounds

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organic compound

compound that contains carbon and is found in living things

• Exceptions includes carbides (cac2), carbonates (co3²-), oxides of carbon (c02) and cyanides (CN^-)

Carbon

forms the basis of all organic compounds due to its ability to form large and complex molecules via covalent bonding

• carbona toms can form four covalent bonds, with bonds between carbon atoms being particularly stable

• this allows carbon to form a wide variety of structures, including compounds consisting of branched or unbranched chains and single or multiples rings

Types of carbon compounds

carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, proteins

Carbohydrates

Molecules consisting of carbon ( c ), hydrogen, (h), and oxygen( 0) typically in a consistent ration of (ch20)n

• the monomeric subunit of carbohydrate will commonly adopt a closed ring structure that can form different seteroisomers

• Carbohydrates are commonly used in nutrition as an enery source, but can also be used in cell recognition (glycoproteins) and structure (cellulose)

• the monomeric subunits are also used as componenets in a range of different molecules, including DNA and coenzymes (ATP and NADH)

Lipids

Lipids are non polar hydrophobic molecules that typically consist of either unbranched chains (fatty acids or ringged structures (steroids)

• lipids serve as the main structural component of cell memebranes (phospholipids and cholestrol) and may also be utilised for energy storages (triglycerides)

certain lipids may also function as signaling molecules (steroid hormones)

nucleid acids

consist of monomeric subunits (nucleotides) containing a pentose sugar, a phosphate group and a nitrogenous base

• nucleic acids function as the genetic material of the cell and determin the inherited features of an organism

• there are tow main types of nucleic acids-DNA function as a master copy, while RNA is responsible for protein assembly

Protein

proteins are composed of one of more chains of amino acids residues and comprise over 50% of the dry weight of the cell

• they preform a vast array of fucntions within the cell- including catalysis (enzymes) structure , signlaing and transport.

some proteins can have non peptide groups attached (cofactos.prosthetic groups) which contribute to the overall functions of the molecule

1.1.2 Monomers****

organic compounds are typically composed of recurring subunits (monomers) which are covalently joined to form polymers

• the monomeric subunit of carbohydrates of repeating nucletoides

• protein consist

polymerisation

polymers can be formed from monomeric subunits ia CONDENSATION reactions

• a hydroxyl group (-OH) on one monomer is combined with a hydrogen atoms (-h) on another monomer

• the two monomers become covalently bonded and a water molecule is produced as a by product

Digestion

polymers can be broken down into their monomeric subunits via HYDROLYSIS reactions

• a water molecule is split to provide the -h and -oh groups requires to break the covalent bond between two monomers

Polymers

large macromolecules composed of smaller repeating subunits (called monomers) via condensation reactions