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Organic Molecules.

The document discusses organic molecules, noting that they contain carbon and hydrogen and are the building blocks of living organisms. It explains that the carbon atom can form diverse and complex structures through bonding, allowing for a wide variety of organic molecules. Functional groups attached to the carbon skeleton determine the properties and reactivity of organic molecules, contributing greatly to the diversity seen in biomolecules like carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

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Aimal Safdar
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121 views9 pages

Organic Molecules.

The document discusses organic molecules, noting that they contain carbon and hydrogen and are the building blocks of living organisms. It explains that the carbon atom can form diverse and complex structures through bonding, allowing for a wide variety of organic molecules. Functional groups attached to the carbon skeleton determine the properties and reactivity of organic molecules, contributing greatly to the diversity seen in biomolecules like carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Uploaded by

Aimal Safdar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Organic Molecules

Dr. Latifur Rehman (Assistant Professor)


Department of Biotechnology
University of Swabi
Introduction
• Organic chemistry: chemistry of living organisms
• Inorganic chemistry: chemistry of nonliving organisms
• Today, the term organic is used to identify those molecules and
compounds that contain both carbon and hydrogen atoms
• Classes of organic molecules: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and
nucleic acids
• Also called biomolecules
• 5,000 different organic molecules in bacteria, double in animals &
plants
The Carbon Atom
• Carbon makes organic molecules the same but also different, how?
• Carbon- small atom with just 6 electrons (K=2, L=4)
• Carbon atom almost always forms covalent bonds
• Can make bonds with carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen,
phosphorus, and sulfur
• Same elements that make up living organisms
• C-C plays role in the shape and function of molecules
• Hydrocarbens
Continued.
• Hydrocarbon- linear or ring (when dissolved in water)
• Bonds (single, double, triple)
• Branches may also form at any carbon atom, allowing
the formation of long, complex carbon chains
• This flexibility makes carbon the ideal building block
for biomolecules
• Thus have an important role in establishing the diversity of organic
molecules
The Carbon Skeleton and Functional Groups
• Carbon chain of an organic molecule is called its skeleton, or
backbone and is responsible for the shape (like skeleton of your body)
• Living organisms are diverse, so are organic molecules
• This diversity comes from the attachment of different functional
groups to the carbon skeleton
• Functional group: specific combination of bonded atoms that always
has the same chemical properties and always reacts in the same way,
regardless of the carbon skeleton to which it is attached
Continued.
• Chemical reactivity of a biomolecule can be
attributed to its functional groups, rather
than to the carbon skeleton
• Functional groups’ configuration determine
the properties of the biomolecule
• E.g. the addition of an −OH to a carbon
skeleton turns that molecule into an
alcohol
• Ethane becomes ethanol (-OH addition)
Continued.
• Another example is organic molecules that contain carboxyl groups
(− COOH)
• Carboxyl groups are highly polar
• In a water environment, they tend to ionize and release hydrogen ions
in solution, therefore acting as an acid
• Functional groups determine the types of reactions it will undergo
• Alcohols react with carboxyl groups when a fat forms
• Carboxyl groups react with amino groups during protein formation
Isomers
• Isomers are organic molecules that have identical molecular formulas
but different arrangements of atoms
• Same molecular formula but
different functional groups
• We would expect them to have
different properties and react differently in chemical reactions
• Isomers are variations in the molecular structure of a molecule
• Example of how the chemistry of carbon leads to variations in the
structure of organic molecules
The Biomolecules of Cells
• Carbohydrates

• Lipids

• Proteins

• Nucleic Acids

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