introduction to organic compounds

Organic Compounds

Molecules primarily consisting of carbon and hydrogen atoms; they include carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids.

Hydrocarbons

Organic compounds composed only of carbon and hydrogen.

Carbon Skeleton

The chain of carbon atoms in an organic molecule which can be straight, branched, or arranged in rings.

Isomers

Compounds with the same formula but different structural arrangements of atoms.

Geometric Isomers

Compounds that have the same formula but differ in spatial arrangements due to double bonds.

Chirality

A property of molecules that are non-superimposable on their mirror images, leading to two forms called enantiomers.

Metabolism

The sum of all enzymatic reactions in a living organism, encompassing all biochemical processes.

Monosaccharides

The simplest carbohydrates, consisting of single sugar molecules like glucose and fructose.

Polysaccharides

Carbohydrate macromolecules made up of many monosaccharides; examples include starch and cellulose.

Triglycerides

Fats composed of glycerol and three fatty acids, primarily serving as energy storage molecules.

Phospholipids

Lipids that form cell membranes, consisting of two fatty acids and a phosphate group attached to glycerol.

Steroids

Lipids characterized by a structure of four fused carbon rings; examples include cholesterol and hormones like testosterone.

Proteins

Large biological macromolecules made up of chains of amino acids that perform a variety of functions in the body.

Amino Acids

The building blocks of proteins, with 20 different types that vary in their side chains.

Nucleotides

The monomers that make up nucleic acids such as DNA and RNA, consisting of a sugar, phosphate group, and nitrogenous base.

Phosphodiester Bond

The covalent bond that links nucleotides together in a nucleic acid, formed during dehydration reactions.

Gene

A segment of DNA that encodes a protein, serving as the basic unit of heredity.

Denaturation

The process by which a protein loses its native conformation and thus its functionality, often due to environmental changes.

Central Dogma

The flow of genetic information in a cell from DNA to RNA to protein.