Reactions Involving Water in Organic and Biochemistry

Vocabulary flashcards defining key organic and biochemical reaction terms involving water, including ester hydrolysis, alkene hydration, alcohol dehydration, and related molecules.

Ester

A functional group in which a carbonyl group is connected to an oxygen carbon atom with a single bond.

Hydrolysis of Esters

A reaction in which water splits an ester at its carbon-oxygen single bond in the presence of an $H^+$ catalyst, producing a carboxylic acid and an alcohol.

Procaine

A short-acting local anesthetic, also called novocaine, that contains a primary amine, an aromatic ring, a tertiary amine, and an ester functional group, and remains active for about $1$\,hour.

Hydration of Alkenes

A reaction in which water adds across a carbon-carbon double bond in the presence of a catalyst such as $H^+$ to form an alcohol.

Dehydration of Alcohols

A reaction in which a water molecule is eliminated from an alcohol subjected to heat and an $H^+$ catalyst, forming a carbon-carbon double bond (alkene).

Tertiary Alcohol

An alcohol in which the hydroxyl functional group is attached to a carbon atom that is directly connected to three other carbon atoms.

Secondary Alcohol

An alcohol in which the hydroxyl functional group is attached to a carbon atom that is directly connected to two other carbon atoms.

Citrate Ion

A tertiary alcohol molecule in the citric acid cycle that undergoes dehydration to produce an alkene intermediate.

Isocitrate

A secondary alcohol and isomer of citrate produced in step $2$ of the citric acid cycle through dehydration followed by hydration.

Aconitase

An enzyme that catalyzes step $2$ of the citric acid cycle, converting citrate to isocitrate via dehydration followed by hydration.

Citric Acid Cycle

A series of reactions consisting of $8$ steps that is important for the production of energy within cells.

Catalyst

A chemical agent, such as an $H^+$ ion or an enzyme, that speeds up a chemical reaction.