Write a general formula for a-amino acids and draw the actual formulas for any t

Question

Write a general formula for a-amino acids and draw the actual formulas for any two named amino acids you choose. What is a peptide bond? Show, with formulas, how such a bond forms a link between two amino acids. Distinguish between L- and D-amino acids. Note: You must draw the actual formula, not just write them.

1. a physical structure representing a general amino acid;
2. the drawn structures of two different amino acids;
3. a drawing of the reaction of the formation of a peptide bond;
4. a D-and-L amino acids and how they are named as such.

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Explanation / Answer

Amino acids are exactly what they say they are! They are compounds containing an amino group, -NH2, and a carboxylic acid group, -COOH. Examples: 2-aminoethanoic acid, usually called glycine (NH2-CH2-COOH), and 2-aminopropanoic acid is usually known as alanine (CH3 - CH - COOH ) ' NH2 The general formula for a 2-amino acid is: R - CH - COOH ' NH2 where "R" can be quite a complicated group containing other active groups like -OH, -SH, other amine or carboxylic acid groups, and so on. It is definitely NOT necessarily a simple hydrocarbon group! All the naturally occurring amino acids have the right-hand structure in this diagram. This is known as the "L-" configuration. The other one is known as the "D-" configuration. D & L amino acids are both optical isomers of each other; i.e. they're compounds with the same molecular formula but different spatial arrangements. Every optically active compound has a D- and an L- isomer. They ONLY difference is their ability to rotate plane polarized light in opposite directions.

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