BSCI170 EXAM 2 -> Isomers and Functional Side Groups

List the common functional side groups

1. Hydroxyls

2. Carbonyls

3. Carboxyl

4. Amino

5. Phosphate

6. Methyl

7. Sulfhydryl

Hydroxyls

• Adds polarity to molecules

• Allows for hydrogen bonding

• Used for polymerization reactions

Carboxyl

Ionizes in water to give molecules negative charge

Carbonyl

• Used for oxidation-reduction reactions

• Effects shape of molecules

Amino

• Ionizes in water to give molecules positive charge

Phosphate

• Adds energy to molecules for reactions

Methyl

• Temporary molecular tag that can be added and removed

• Temporarily changes identity of molecules

• Makes molecules less polar

Sulfhydryl

• Makes di-sulfide bridges

• Important for protein structure

Structural isomers

→ Changing the organization of the carbon backbone or where functional groups are attached while maintaining the same numbers and kinds of elements and rearranging them.

Geometric isomers

Change the way two carbons are connected by a double bond to change the orientation of the groups attached to those carbons

Enantiomers

Molecules with mirror image symmetry