ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
The Study of Carbon
Compounds
Carbon Hydrogen Nitrogen Oxygen Phosphorus Sulfur
Carbon!
• Most chemicals that make up living things
are Carbon-based.
– Why?
• Easily forms molecules that are large,
complex, and diverse.
• Up to 30% of a cell is made up of
Carbon-based compounds.
Why is Carbon important to life?
• Carbon is light weight and small
• Carbon atoms have 4 valence electrons.
– Can bond with other elements and itself to
form unlimited (in length) chains that can even
fold to form rings
Macromolecules
aka: Biomolecules
The Molecules of Life!
Macromolecules are…
• Large polymers
(poly=many)
• Built by
monomers
(mono = one)
• 4 main classes
(examples of carbon based
biomolecules)
– Carbohydrates
– Lipids
– Proteins
– Nucleic Acids
Carbohydrates
Fuel and Building Material
for Life!
Carbohydrates are…
Monomer = 1 C: 2 H: 1 O Monosaccharides (simple
sugars)
• Most abundant carbon compounds
found in living things
• Sugars (example) = quick energy
• Monosaccharides- simple sugars
» Glucose
C6H12O6
• Disaccharides- sugars built of 2
monosaccharides
» Sucrose+Fructose
Carbos cont…
• Starch (example) =
Polysaccharides: act as nutrient
storage-and form structural
components of living things
• Glycogen- stores glucose in muscle
tissue for quick energy
• Cellulose- provides rigid structure
»Cell wall of plant cells
CELL WALL
Monomer:
- Glycerol and fatty
acids
LIPIDS
• Fats: gylcerol and fatty acids
– Saturated
• Solidifies- bad
• Ex: animal fat and butter
– Unsaturated
• No solidification- good
• Ex: vegetable oils
– Fats are used for energy storage
• Long-term food reserves stored in adipose (fat)cells
Lipids cont…
• Fat (adipose) provides insulation for
warmth
I’m
– Whales, seals
Fat!
• Fat provides cushioning for organs
Fat Cells (adipose)
Lipids cont…
• Phospholipids
– Make up cell membranes
The bilayer forms a boundary between the cell
and the external environment.
Phospholipid Bilayer
Proteins
The Ultimate Polymer!
Proteins…
• Monomer:
– Amino acids
20 different amino acids
Amino group: NH2
Carboxyl group:
-COOH
Protein Structure
• 2 or more amino acids joined
by peptide bond
–Hence the other name for a
protein: polypeptide chain
Structure=Function
• Protein’s specific structure (shape)
determines it’s duties (job)
Four levels of organizations
Types of Proteins
• *Structural
Defensive
– Support
-Antibodies
• Storage
– Embryo food
• *Transport
– In and out of cell
• Receptors
– Drugs
*Enzymes
-catalysts
Hormones
-messages
*Contractile
-muscles
Examples of proteins
•
•
•
•
Protein channels in cell membrane
Keratin: in fingernails and hair
Muscle fibers
Lactase
Nucleic Acids
Informational Polymers
Nucleic Acids
• 2 types
– DNA-double-stranded
• Genetic material
– Inherited from parents
– RNA-single-stranded
• Controls protein synthesis
• Nucleic acids work together to
– Build proteins
Monomer: Nucleotides
pentose sugar
phospate
nitrogen base