Chapter 4-Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life

C-4. Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life

Organic Chemistry is the study of Carbon Compounds.

Cell- 70-95% water

The rest of the cell- Carbon compounds. Carbon + H, O, N, S, P.

Carbon is a very versatile element because of it’s ability to form covalent bonds at 4 sites. Why?___________

Valence electrons - the number of electrons in the outermost shell of an atom

Valence- In a covalent bond it is the number of electrons needed to complete an atom’s outer electron shell.

Example Carbon- valence electrons= 4 and it’s valence is also 4

Oxygen___? Hydrogen____? Nitrogen___?

Vitalism- the belief in a life force outside the laws of chemistry and physics.

Mechanism- the belief that all natural processes including life obey the laws of physics and chemistry.

Variations in carbon skeletons( Fig-4.4)

Hydrocarbons- organic molecules that consist only of C + H

Isomers

Isomer- compounds that have the same molecular formula but different structures.

Example: Butane and Isobutane. C4H10

There are 3 types of isomers ( Fig- 4.6)

Structural isomers

Geometric isomers

Enantiomers

Functional Groups

The distinctive chemical properties of an organic molecule depend not only on the arrangement of its carbon skeleton but also on the molecular components attached to that skeleton

These attachments are called Functional Groups (Table 4.1)