Unit 4 - Carbon and why it's so important

carbon

makes up living organisms(literally everything

-this makes up larger complex molecules

organic chemistry

study of organic (containing carbon) compounds

friedrich Wöhler

1828 - surprised b/c the artificial synthesis of complex molecules was thought to be impossible

-surprising because they thought you could not synthesize complex molecules from living matter

stanely miller

1953

-connected abiotic (non-living) synthesis of OC to the contest of evolution

-conc. complex organic molecules can arise spontaneously similar to those of early earth, determining that abiotic synthesis could be an early stage in origin of life

Why is carbon so versatile?

it can form four bonds with either itself or other atoms

-it can build/is part of so many living things

How does carbon tends to bond?

shares 4 VE

-with single or double bonds

-bonds with intention of being an intersection point (like good place to build off of for complex molecules)

valence

the number of e- needed to complete the shell

hydrocarbons

organic molecules w/ only hydrogen and carbon

-they can grow through C-C bonds either in a stright line, branching, or in a ring

where are hydrocarbons typically used?

-petroleum - fossil fuel

-not super prevalent in organisms, but there are cells that have hydrocarbon dominated areas

fats

long hydrocarbon tails that are attached to a non HC

-the tails serve as stored fuel

isomers

compounds with the same number of atoms of some elements but dif. structures and properties

structural isomer

differences in the covalent arangement of atoms

-the difference could be where a double bond is locates

-if a molecule is more complicated, there are going to be a WHOLE lot more isomers

cis-trans isomers

covalent bonds to the same atoms, but there is a difference in spatial arangement due to the inflexibility of double bonds

-cis = same side, trans = cross

enantiomers

isomers that are mirror images of each other and differ in shape due to the presence of an asymmetric carbon

asymmetric carbon

essentially its attatched to different atoms instead of just one type

implication of enantiomers

--typically only one form of the enantiomer is effective to fight illnesses and disease

-the different structure changes its properties

-normally only one form is biologically active (L group; D is the inactive one)

functional groups

chemical groups directly involved in chemical groups (look at physical flashcards for specific info)

-allow molecules with similar carbon skeletons to be differentiated

adenosine triphopshate (ATP)

organic phosphat, important functions in the cell —> is formed from or is turned into ADP