AP Review Organic Compounds

Organic Molecules and Their Functions

Page 2: Definition of Organic Molecules

• Organic Molecules: Molecules that contain carbon atoms bonded to other carbon atoms.

Page 3: Types of Organic Compounds

• Four Types:

  • Carbohydrates

  • Proteins

  • Lipids

  • Nucleic Acids

Page 4: Elements in Organic Molecules

• Composition:

  • Carbohydrates: C, H, O

  • Proteins: C, H, O, N, sometimes S

  • Lipids: C, H, O

  • Nucleic Acids: C, H, O, N, P

Page 5: Characteristics of Carbon

• Key Characteristics:

  1. Four valence electrons allow for four bonds.

  2. Can form chains, branches, and rings.

  3. Capable of unique 3-D shapes.

  4. Forms strong and stable bonds.

  5. Can create single, double, or triple bonds.

  6. Compounds do not readily dissociate in water.

  7. No size limit for molecules.

  8. Bonds with a variety of elements and functional groups.

  9. Unique to carbon.

Page 6: Hydrocarbons

• Definition: Organic molecules consisting only of carbon and hydrogen.

Page 7: Functional Groups

• Definition: Specific groups of atoms attached to a carbon skeleton that influence molecular shape and reactivity.

Page 8: Functions of Functional Groups

• Functions:

  • Provide unique shapes to molecules.

  • Determine behavior in chemical reactions.

Page 9-14: Common Functional Groups

• Hydroxyl (-OH): Found in sugars; makes molecules polar.

• Carbonyl (-C=O): Found in sugars; makes molecules polar.

• Carboxyl (-COOH): Found in proteins and lipids; has acidic properties.

• Amino (-NH2 or -NH3+): Found in all amino acids.

• Sulfhydryl (-SH): Found in cysteine; forms disulfide bridges in proteins.

• Phosphate (-PO4): Found in phospholipids, DNA, RNA, and ATP.

Page 15-19: Building Blocks of Organic Compounds

• Carbohydrates: Simple sugars (e.g., glucose).

• Lipids: Fatty acids and glycerol.

  • Glycerol: 3-carbon compound with hydroxyl groups.

  • Fatty Acids: Long carbon skeleton with a carboxyl group.

• Proteins: Amino acids.

Page 20-23: Amino Acids and Nitrogenous Bases

• Amino Acids: 20 types, each with a unique "R" group.

• Nitrogenous Bases: Ring structures with alternating carbon and nitrogen.

  • Types: Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine, Guanine.

  • Purines: Adenine and Guanine (2 rings).

  • Pyrimidines: Cytosine and Thymine (1 ring).

Page 26-28: Macromolecules and Polymers

• Macromolecules: Giant molecules formed from smaller units.

• Polymers: Long molecules made of repeating subunits (monomers).

Page 29-31: Monomers and Reactions

• Monomers of Carbohydrates: Simple sugars (e.g., glucose).

• Monomers of Proteins: Amino acids.

• Dehydration Reaction: Joins two monomers by removing water.

• Hydrolysis Reaction: Breaks polymers into monomers by adding water.

Page 33-41: Carbohydrates

• Examples: Sugars, starches, celluloses.

• Classification: By number of sugar monomers.

  • Monosaccharides: One sugar molecule.

  • Disaccharides: Two sugar molecules.

  • Polysaccharides: Many sugar molecules.

• Functions: Energy source (e.g., glucose) and raw materials for other molecules.

• Glycosidic Linkage: Covalent bond between monosaccharides.

Page 42-56: Lipids

• Types: Fats, oils, waxes, phospholipids, cholesterol.

• Characteristics: Nonpolar, insoluble in water.

• Phospholipids: Composed of glycerol and two fatty acid tails.

• Membrane Structure: Bilayer arrangement with hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tails.

• Wax: Used for waterproofing.

Page 57-68: Proteins

• Functions: Enzymes, hormones, transport, muscle contraction, antibodies, structural components.

• Peptide Bond: Links amino acids via dehydration.

• Polypeptide: Chain of amino acids, not yet a functional protein.

• Protein Structure Levels:

  • Primary: Unique amino acid sequence.

  • Secondary: Initial folding due to hydrogen bonds.

  • Tertiary: Irregular folding due to side chain interactions.

  • Quaternary: Combination of multiple polypeptides.

• Denaturation: Loss of 3-D shape, rendering the protein inactive.

Page 69-71: Nucleic Acids

• Types: DNA and RNA.

• Composition: Made of nucleotides.

• Components of Nucleotide