Answer the following questions regarding the DNA molecule. 1) Label and give the

Question

Answer the following questions regarding the DNA molecule.

1) Label and give the name for the the major functional groups in the DNA molecule?

2) Functional groups are sites where chemical reactions take place. Using your knowledge of basic organic reactions, think about some possible reactions (e.g. SN2, E1, E2, SN1, etc.) that can occur at each of the functional groups in the DNA molecule?

3) the functional groups in the DNA molecule as hydrophobic or hydrophilic? Is the overall DNA molecule generally classified as hydrophobic or hydrophilic? Explain your prediction.

4) Discuss the type of bonding (e.g. ionic, covalent, coordinate covalent, hydrogen bonding, polar covalent, non-polar covalent, etc.) at each functional group within the DNA molecule

5) Label the hybridization (e.g. sp3, sp2, sp, etc.) for the central atom within each functional group in the DNA molecule?

6) Label the bond angle around the central atom in each major functional group within the DNA molecule?

7) Label the geometry of each central atom for each central atom in each functional group in the DNA molecule.

8) Label the major sites in the functional groups in the DNA molecule as acidic, basic or neutral and then label them as nucleophilic, electrophilic sites as well.

Explanation / Answer

1. The major functional groups in DNA could be listed as following:

Hydroxyl OH, Carbonyl CO, Methyl CH3, Phosphate (PO4)2-, Carboxylic acid COOH, Amino NH2, Sulfadryl SH

2. The possible reactions that occur a each functional group depends on th chemistry of each functional group and wether it is polar or non polar, hydrophillic or hydrophobic. To point out a few, the following reactions wil take place at the following functional groups:

Hydroxyl and amine - Substitution, elimination,

Methyl and carbonyl - substitution

Carboxylic - oxidation.

3. Again, the hydrophobicity depends on whether a functional group is polar or not, if it is polar, it is probably hydrophillic therefore we can classify as follows:

methyl as hydrophobic and hydroxyl, carbonyl , carboxylic, amine and phosphates as hydrophillic. overall DNA is a polar molecule and carries a negative charge and is acidic therefore, it is safe to say that it is hydrophillic.

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