Approximate Length

~ 8 minutes

Learning Outcomes

• Identify organic functional groups (alcohols, ethers, ketone, aldehyde, carboxylic acid).
• Differentiate between primary and secondary alcohols.
• Identify whether a carbon in a molecule is chiral or achiral.
• When presented with two functional groups, determine which is more oxidized.
• Use the organic numbering and Greek letter conventions to identify carbons in a molecule.

Key Words

Alpha carbon: The carbon bound to a functional group.

Chiral: When a carbon is bound to four different groups.

Achiral: When two or more of the groups bound to a carbon are the same or when a carbon is bound to less than four groups.

Primary alcohol (1o): The hydroxyl group (-OH) is at the end of a carbon chain.

Secondary alcohol (2o): The hydroxyl group (-OH) is attached to a carbon in the middle of an aliphatic carbon chain.

Summary

• The most abundant elements in the human body are O, C, H, N.
• Together oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorous account for > 99% of the elements in the human body by mass.
• Many essential elements (iron, magnesium, copper) are present in relatively low amounts.
• “R” is a shorthand notation used to represent any group containing a carbon or hydrogen.
• Notations like R, R1, R2 or R, R’, R’, and so forth are used to indicate different groups.
• Common functional groups include alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, and carboxylic acids.
• Alcohols contain a hydroxyl group (-OH).
• Primary alcohols are achiral, but secondary alcohols can be chiral or achiral.
• The relative order of oxidation state is as follows:

1. Alcohol → Aldehyde → carboxylic acid → carbon dioxide (most oxidized)
2. Alcohol → Ketone

Module Outline

• Elements in biochemistry
• Functional groups review
  • Oxidation states of C in various functional groups
  • R, R1, R2 notation
  • Alcohols: Primary versus secondary
  • Chiral and achiral
  • Oxidation reduction
  • Carboxylic acids
  • Numbering of carbons
• Summary and quiz

Important Visuals